Nagihiko the Liar and Rima the Hypocrite
by NintaiKyouboku
Summary: "You know, just because I like Nagihiko doesn't mean I'm going to TELL him that!" Will Rima and Nagihiko eventually give up the pretense of mutual hate and move on to mutual love while dealing with hilarious incidents such a failure of a play...
1. I Am Dragged To A Fake Psychic

_Summary continued_

_…Utau's underage driving (and speeding), a pouring-tea war (with Tadase getting the short end of the stick), Amu and Yaya reading Rima's diary, Nagihiko " accidentally" entrusting his love life to Yaya, and dangerously embarrassing games of Truth or Dare. Read it all in Rima's diary and Nagihiko's journal. _

**RIMA'S DIARY**

_December 16th_

Tadase forced us all to go shopping with him. He says it's because we've run out of calculators and stationary, but I bet he secretly enjoys window-shopping. I saw him staring at Utau Hoshina's new line of clothing, which includes very revealing leather tops and denim short shorts covered in glitter. Blonde kids are so messed up.

Not that I'm messed up.

Yaya wasn't helping, either. She was jumping up and down, screaming about how it'd be so fun and the mall had free cherry lip gloss which tasted really good but her parents wouldn't buy it for her since last time she ate it she got a stomachache or something. Amu said eagerly, "Oh, I want a new…" she paused. "I mean, I guess if everyone is going, and it's for Guardians, I don't really have a choice, do I?"

"Your obstinate character is coming out," I remarked, making her blush.

"Is not!" Amu protested.

"Yes, it is," Miki, Ran, and I said in unison.

Kairi pushed up his glasses. "To make this efficient, we should split up into two groups. One group can take the first floor, where the calculators are located, and the other on the second floor, where the—"

"Yaya doesn't approve!" Yaya whined, biting into her eighth—or was it her ninth?—scone. "The Class President is making this not fun!"

"Class President?" Kairi muttered. Yaya ignored him.

"Let's go tomorrow!" she cheered. "Yaya can't wait!"

I was planning on staying home and watching the Bala-Balance marathon. "Do I have to go? Can I send a slave boy to represent me?" I don't care that I sound selfish—it fits my character.

Amu isn't fooled. Darn, she knows me too well. "I wanted to watch the Bala-Balance marathon too, Rima. My mom is going to tape it for me, and you can come over to watch it with me, okay?"

I smile wickedly. I was bored, okay? And it's fun to watch Tadase Character Change. "I heard they have a new gag, too. It's called The Prince—"

A little golden crown appeared on the King's head and he began laughing like a pyromanical clown (how insulting). "AHAHAHAHAHA! WORLD DOMINATION! BOW TO ME, COMMONERS! AHAHAHAHAHA!"

Yaya grinned. "Leave this to Yaya!" She grabbed the teapot and emptied the contents over Tadase. Amu gasped.

"Yaya, that's hot!"

I high-five Yaya. "That was AWESOME."

Yaya looks down at the floor. "It was nothing. It was my duty," she says gallantly, taking a bow.

Amu rolled her eyes. "Like you didn't enjoy doing that."

"Okay, maybe a little."

"Just a little?" I snickered.

"Anyways, Rima, is there really a gag named The Prince—"

You can guess what happened next. It was quite amusing, actually. But I noticed Kiseki was getting a little tired. I suppose there's a limit to the amount of vanity one can express in five minutes.

Of course there is a gag named The Prince. It's brought to you courtesy of Mashiro Rima, Hotori Tadase, Yuiki Yaya, and Hinamori Amu. Uptight Kairi didn't participate, the churl.

_December 17th_

Kairi's original plan was abolished because Yaya threatened to throw a fit if he kept on being so uptight.

So we went to get the supplies, and while we were in the stationary store, I saw that weird cosplay cat-eared guy with the dark blue hair (he so dyes it). The others were busy a) stuffing themselves with sweets; b) trying to keep their "cool and spicy" attitude while looking at a cute eraser kit that they obviously want and failing; c) pushing up their glasses and commenting on how society has created inflation on even the cheapest things; or d) staring at some stationary bordered with hearts and crowns.

I jabbed Amu. "Hey, isn't that the person you were shouting at the other day?"

Amu spun around, dropping the strawberry-scented erasers. As soon as she saw him, she turned beet-red and mumbled that she had to leave.

Tadase noticed Amu's facial expression and followed her gaze to the blue-haired teenager standing five feet away staring at Amu. "Tsukiyomi Ikuto!" he hissed.

Oh. So that was his name. Ikuto.

Hmm, I thought. Maybe Tadase would get so angry he'd Character Change and fight with Ikuto. That would make this day slightly less boring.

Ikuto just looked at Amu and then quickly jumped out of the store window, landed on the roof of an SUV, set the car alarms blaring, and disappeared before anyone could say "Kid, I sure hope you're going to pay for that!"

After we finished purchasing everything, Yaya dragged us to the grand opening of a store owned by a psychic who was giving out free love fortunes.

Tch. Right. Me. In love. All that sugar Yaya consumes must've clogged her brain.

Yaya insisted on going first. The psychic asked her for her birthday (May 25th) and blood type (O). "I see a boy in the future for you…whom you are already on good terms with…his name starts with K…his full name is—"

The egg timer rang. "Sorry, time's up!" The old lady yelled.

"Wait, what's his full name?" Yaya wailed. The only boys I knew who fit that description were Souma Kukai and…I turned to throw an accusing look at Kairi, whose face had gone bright red.

"NEXT!" The fortune-teller roared. Tadase timidly walked up.

"March 29th, blood type B," he said meekly. He needs some serious toughing up. I should sign him up for a martial arts class…I'll have one of my slave boys help him. Maybe that tall one with the ripped muscles…

I'm so caught up in my thoughts that I nearly miss Tadase's fortune. "There is a girl you will fall in love with…but she may choose your enemy over you." I winced. Ouch.

I'm up next. "February 6th, blood type B." I say, bored.

"You haven't met him yet…a boy with many secrets…this will not be a love-by-first-sight…TIME'S UP!"

Tch. Well, at least I won't fall in love with whoever it is by first sight. That's how Amu started her crush on Tadase, and see how well that turned out. She's been rejected…how many times? Okay, just a second, I'm going to ask her.

She got pretty flustered and Tadase turned bright red. She says twice, once for his dog, once for Amulet Heart.

Ouch. That's got to hurt. Maybe she should just go and date that Ikuto guy. But he looks like he's what, sixteen? Seventeen? Way too old for her. And from what I hear, he's a huge pervert…

Double ouch. Yaya just kicked me. She wants to know why I want to know, and also why I'm writing while walking. "Does Rima-tan LIKE Tadase? Is Rima-tan writing a novel?"

"No to both," I grumble.

Okay, back to the weird psychic lady. Amu goes next. "The situation in your heart contains many boys…but when your final decision must be made, the one you will choose will be obvious…"

Miki gasped. "Just like me!"

Amu, who was already blushing, turned an even deeper shade of scarlet. "Hey, don't compare me with you!"

"How sweet!" Su trilled.

"No, it's not sweet at all! It means I have to choose between Ik—" she stopped abruptly.

Tadase stared at the floor. I spotted Kairi trying to sneak away. I roughly pushed him towards the psychic. "Your turn."

"What? But—I mean, fortune-telling is often inaccurate and based on guesses—" he protested, turning red.

"A true samurai would not let himself be pushed around by girls," Musashi declared.

"Helpful, Musashi!"

Kairi finally gave in. The psychic announced, "You will become braver and confess…for two things in fact…the first being the trait—"

Kairi Character Changed with Musashi and slapped his hand across the woman's mouth. "I'm sorry, I must ask you to stay silent. I don't really need to know my future. It doesn't change the facts."

Yaya frowned. "Huh? Yaya is confused!"

Amu looked thoughtful. "Oh! I know! He's probably hiding behind a mask or something! Like his traits! Oh, maybe he has another unhatched Character Egg, like me? Really, Kairi? Can we see it?"

_So unlike her usual character…_

"What! No! I don't have another Character Egg!" Kairi stumbled over his words. I narrowed my eyes at him. Suspicious…

But seriously, "a boy with many secrets?" Yeah, I usually don't get along with people like that.

Hmm, Kairi obviously has some secret.

Oh god, I so hope it's not him.

Now that we've already walked past Yaya and Tadase's homes, it's just Amu and me (Kairi got a phone call and had to leave early).

"I need to talk to you." Amu demands.

"Fine," I grumble. "What is it?"

"That fortune was exactly right," Amu says really quickly, turning crimson. "I really need to choose between Ikuto, Tadase-kun, Kukai, and Kairi…"

"Do you realize that out of those four, Tadase is the only one you used an honorific with?"

"Thanks, wise sage," Amu says sarcastically, still red. "I tell my love problems to you and that's all you can say?"

"It just means you don't feel comfortable referring to him without the honorific," I say. "And he still calls you Hinamori-san."

"He still calls you Mashiro-san!"

"But I'm not the one who's had a crush on him for over a year…"

"Ahhhh! You know what, Rima, I'm sorry I even brought it up! I wish Nadeshiko was here!"

I stare at her, hurt. Nadeshiko is a sore subject for me. "You think she was a better friend than me?"

"At these times, yes!"

"Fine! But Nadeshiko is in Europe, she's probably coming back when we're like 20! I'm sorry Nadeshiko isn't here, I guess you're just going to have to put up with me!"

"No, Rima, I didn't mean it like that—"

But I'm already running away, my Mary Janes hitting the pavement and my golden hair flowing behind me. It'd be sort of dramatic if it weren't for the fact I just tripped because I was writing while running.

Great. Another pair of ruined tights.


	2. I Accuse The Class President Of Spying

_December 19th_

A Poem By Mashiro Rima, Grade 6 Star Class, age 11

_I go downstairs to the kitchen since I'm_

_Hungry and my stomach is growling_

_The table is empty so I open the refrigerator_

_And look inside._

_A moldy slice of ham_

_Two stale biscuits_

_Five cans of orange soda_

_So I grab a soda and go back to my_

_Room._

_My parents are so busy arguing that they_

_Neglected to make dinner._

There. Language arts homework done. And I didn't even have to use my imagination. What an amazing feat.

God, I'm SO hungry. Soda isn't enough. And this is my fourth day spent like this. If this has to go on any longer, I'm going over to Amu's house for dinner (we apologized to each other).

After my homework is done, I'm on the couch watching a comedy show when my dad comes in and switches it to the weather forecast. My mom grabs the remote from him and turns the television off.

"Rima, you're going to have to quit that club. That Guardians one."

"What? Why?" I ask, trying to keep panic out of my voice.

"I always have to pick you up at different times."

"If I could just walk home it would be okay! I walked home the day before yesterday from the mall, and I was okay!"

"That was because you were lucky. You aren't allowed to do that again."

"I won't get kidnapped!"

"We can't ever be sure! Mashiro Rima, you are going to give this letter," my mom hands me an envelope with the words "Club Resignation" on it, "to whoever runs the club and be outside every day at 4 p.m. from now on!"

I snatch the letter and stomp to my room. I don't have any friends outside the Guardians. Kusukusu looks at me sadly. "Look, Rima, a funny face!" She pulls her cheeks apart and sticks out her tongue. I glare at her.

"I am _so _not in the mood for that," I mutter. Kusukusu lets go of her cheeks.

What am I going to do? Maybe if I convinced Tadase to let me go, no matter what we're doing, at four p.m…yeah, what kind of Queen did that? Not Nadeshiko, at least. And there's no way I'm letting her be a better Queen than me.

I shower and go to bed, but it's another hour before I actually go to sleep.

_December 19th_

"Amu-chan, look at this! Hoshina Utau's featured in this issue!" Minami waved a magazine at her. "There's even an interview with her manager!"

Amu runs over and stares at the magazine for a minute. Then she looks at me. "Rima, you might want to see this," she says in a funny voice.

I walk over. "Why? It's just her. It's not like I haven't seen her before."

She points at the page, the one with the interview. And then I see it. The picture of her manager.

She looks just like Kairi.

Amu turns to the girls. "Hey, could I borrow this?"

"Really? Amu-chan is interested in these things?"

"No, Yaya just likes Hoshina Utau." Amu says, acting bored.

Nikaidou-sensei walks into the classroom. "Okay, everyone, in your seats! I'm going to take roll!"

"Raise your hand if you're not here!" Kusukusu mutters to me, trying to cheer me up. I grin and raise my hand.

"Mashiro-san, do you have a question?" Nikaidou-sensei asks.

"No," I say, bored.

"Then why'd your hand up?" That's when I realize that my hand was still up.

"Um, I'm on hallucinogens," I try.

"Really? Can you lend me some after school? I'm dry," this guy next to me mutters quietly.

I take my cup of tea and pour it all over him.

"What'd you do that for?" he complains.

"Didn't you say you were dry?" I ask, pretending to be confused. Low-life moron. Trying to cheat off of little cute innocent blonde girls.

Um, okay, maybe not exactly innocent. But meh.

I so have to ask Kairi about this.

_Later_

Amu tells me about the Black Diamond CDs that have passed around at school. They lure kids to the Black Diamond concert where their Heart's Eggs get taken away.

Tadase, Amu and I agree to confiscate all of the CDs from the students at school. It takes a long time, and my arms get tired, but we get to skip math. Yay, no multiplying and dividing fractions. Yes, I'm still stuck on learning how to reduce fractions. Deal with it.

At the Guardian's meeting, Tadase explains to Yaya and Kairi about how someone had dropped a Black Diamond CD into his book bag. He'd listened to it, and walked in a trance to the Black Diamond concert. Kiseki had turned into an X-egg temporarily.

"Plus, Tadase-kun can Character Transform now, too!" Amu was quick to add.

"Yeah, but it's pretty embarrassing…" Tadase murmured.

"R-really? I thought it was pretty cute…" Amu said, breaking out of her usual "Cool and Spicy" character.

El, Utau's Guardian Character that was living with Amu, fainted. "Amu is such a playgirl!"

"Wh-what? I just said he looked cute!"

I narrow my eyes at her. "And that's not considered playgirl-ish?"

Miki flew in with a miniature bucket of water. "Okay, can I do the honors?"

"Sure," I mutter.

"Wait, the honors for what?" Amu asked.

Miki ignored her and dumped the water on El.

"I have been bathed in the holy water of St. Valentine!" El sang.

"St. Valentine?" Yaya asked. "Was he the one who painted that famous picture with that famous smile?"

"No, that was Picasso," Amu tells her.

"No, it was Leonardo da Vinci," Kairi corrected her without glancing up from his thick book.

"Oh, that reminds me." I whack him with the magazine. "Explain THIS."

He looks at the picture of Utau's manager. "She looks like me…"

"EXACTLY."

"And we all know there's been an Easter spy at our school…perhaps she's the Class President's…" Yaya glanced at the picture. "The Class President's grandmother?"

"No, I have no clue whatsoever as to whom this person is. I am certainly not acquainted with her."

"I see," Tadase said, obviously not convinced. Then his expression changed. "Sanjo-kun, do you think we would really accuse you of being an Easter spy?"

"Yaya's just kidding!" Yaya giggled, stuffing a brownie into her mouth.

Amu grins. "We believe in you, Class President!"

I don't. He's got something to hide. Would it really be that surprising if it turned out he was an Easter spy?

No, not really.

Amu took the magazine back. "I borrowed this from Minami. I better give it back before Yaya steals the autographed cover."

"What? The cover's autographed?" Yaya demands, lunging for Amu's messenger bag. She started chasing Amu around the Royal Garden. "Show me, show me!"

Ran took out her pom-poms. "Go, go, go, Yaya!"

"Hey! Why aren't you cheering for your own owner!" Amu demanded.

Tadase sighed. "Meeting adjourned."

I rush outside. Kusukusu gasps. "Rima, the car's already here!"

"I know!"

And that's when I realize I didn't give the letter to Tadase.

_Even later_

All the other Guardians have gone out to track down the black van which Yaya claims is "suspicious" and the Black Diamond band "disappears" into. I can't leave, since I'm supposed to have quit Guardians. And imagine the kidnapping opportunities out there.

My cell phone rings, and I hear Amu and Tadase screaming. Ran is yelling, "Amu! Character Transform with me!"

Amu replies, "But these X-eggs are swarming me! I can't unlock my heart with my hands!"

"Hinamori-san, are you okay?" Tadase sounds disappointed, probably because he doesn't get to see Amulet Heart's short skirt and tiny top. Pervert.

No, that's a title reserved for Ikuto.

I run to the door. "Mom, Dad, I have to go."

"No. You're not going anywhere." Dad growls and places a hand on the doorknob and a hand on my shoulder, pulling me away from the door. The resignation letter falls out of my pocket. I should really invest in a better jacket with deeper pockets.

"Rima, you didn't resign?"

"I can't believe you would disobey us—"

"It's stupid." I say bluntly. "It's stupid how you guys spend hours each day arguing about the same old thing. How you worry about something that has like a 2% chance of happening. It's really stupid." Then, before they can stop me, I rush out the door with Kusukusu.

I find Platinum Royal (Tadase+Kiseki), Amulet Spade (Amu+Miki), and Yaya Character Changed with Pepe at Seiyo Elementary. Two of them are shrieking, and the other is trying to stay calm. Sadly, the shrieking ones are not Amulet Spade and Yaya. Wimp.

I quickly Character Transform into Clown Drop and use my bowling pins to corner the X-eggs into one big group. Amulet Spade does a Colorful Canvas Special and Platinum Royal finishes it off with White Decoration. Ha, the X-eggs look like Saturn. If Saturn constantly mumbled "useless".

"Negative heart—lock on!" Amulet yells, making a heart with her hands around the Humpty Lock.

"Open heart!"

There's a blinding light as she purifies the eggs.

All the kids who had been lured to the school because of the Black Diamond CD are suddenly awake, rubbing their eyes and groaning.

Their parents are running towards us. They're shouting about how the Guardians are hooligans and made their children come here, and how they were so worried, but I hardly notice because I've just spotted my own parents.

"Rima-san, we're going home RIGHT NOW!" Mom shrieks.

"I just KNEW it had something to do with those juvenile delinquents you run around with!" Dad scowls at Tadase.

"Juvenile deliquents?" Tadase and Amu mutter at the same time.

Everyone's protesting against the Guardians and we have no clue as to what to do. Suddenly, a man who looks like Tadase walks over. "I am the school director," he says, putting on a sparkly look I've only seen on Tadase. "Today there's a meteor shower, so I invited everyone to look through my telescope. This'll teach them about astronomy."

_120% lying! _But who cares? As long as he got us out of this mess…

"We're going, Rima," my parents scoff. "We have a telescope at home."

I nod meekly.

Of course Amu has to butt in. "You know, Rima's always wanted to smile!"

Oh, I am _so _going to kill her later. "Amu—"

She cuts me off. "Rima, Kusukusu, do the usual!"

_Huh? _"What—"

Green symbols appear on my cheeks and I spin around, screaming Bala-Balance. _I WILL MURDER HINAMORI AMU. _Amu does it with me, but her arms are positioned wrong.

I Character Change back and glare at Amu. She's even more embarrassed than me. Tadase and Yaya look like they've been petrified. I walk up to them and poke Yaya, just to make sure she's alive.

"Ow! Rima-tan!" she whines.

Apparently, she is.

"What is that? Rima, we're going home!" Mom demands, dragging me away.

On the way home, I get lectured about safety and disobedience and a million other things that go in one ear and out the other.

Kairi was the only one who didn't show up tonight. That, along with his secret (whatever that might be) and the resemblance to Hoshina Utau's manager, makes him seem REALLY suspicious…

But maybe I should have more faith in him.

At least, I probably should return the thick database on Fujisaki Nadeshiko I stole from him. I don't understand half of the words in there. Not to mention this makes me seem like I have a jealousy complex.

Which I do.


	3. I Am Amazed By Amu's Persuasion Skills

_December 20__th_

"…and the Class President just then gave Yaya this creepy smile and said that he was the traitor!" Yaya cried. "Well, Yaya never liked the Class President much anyways. He stole Yaya's position as the youngest Guardian! Even though he was the youngest, he was the most mature out of all of the Guardians! He was always working hard…Yaya just can't believe it…"

Ha. Just as I'd suspected. Kairi _was _the spy. Last night, after I'd gone home, the other Guardians had bumped into Kairi. Kairi dropped the bag he was holding, and the Black Diamond CDs inside the bag spilled all over the place. Amu, being the gullible fool she is, went "Those are just the confiscated CDs, right? You're just taking them to be thrown out?"

As if it wasn't obvious by that point what Kairi was doing. Kairi turned and said, "There's a difference between being trusting and stupid, Joker. Yes, I am the Easter spy. And your enemy."

I can't believe I missed it.

Amu stands up dramatically. "No! I believe in him! I believe in the Class President! I don't know his motive for doing something like this, but I know that we had awesome times together! I know that Kairi was the real Kairi!"

"Accept the truth and sit down, you gullible idiot," I mutter. We still haven't made up over the whole Character-Changing-in-front-of-like-a-hundred-people thing.

Amu glares at me. She opens her mouth to say something, but Su beats her to it. "Hey! Isn't that Sensei?" she asks sweetly. She floats up to Nikaidou-sensei. "Have you been going to bed earlier?"

"What? No…sorry!" he bites his lip as Su gives him a sugary-sweet death glare. "Anyways, I came here to tell you kids that Sanjo-kun's probably not coming back. Here are four tickets to Hoshina Utau's concert—"

"OMG! REALLY?" Yaya screams.

"Yes. See if you can purify any X-eggs there."

My first time going to a concert, and I have to be dressed as a clown.

_Later_

As we walked into the garage where the concert was being held, I hear constant whines of "useless…useless…"

Utau is standing at the microphone, singing to no one. The entire audience has collapsed, with all of their Heart's Eggs turned into X-eggs.

"Amu," Utau sneered, taking off her sunglasses, "You're rather late." She then turned to Dia, Amu's fourth Guardian Character with an X on her. "Dia, let's go! My heart, unlock!" Light explodes into the otherwise dark room. When Utau is finished transforming, she's wearing something you might see at a nightclub. "Dark Jewel!"

"Amu, you're always getting into my way."

"Why do you keep on taking everyone's egg?" Amulet Angel (Amu+El*) shot back. "Is that your real would-be self?"

"What do you know?"

Amu frowned. "The you right now, is that your real would-be self?"

Suddenly, all the lights went off. Dark Jewel looked around wildly. "Huh?" Ikuto ran onto the stage and grasped Dark Jewel's slim wrist.

"Utau, come on." They both ran out of the garage.

Amu ran off after them, but was stopped by a wooden sword. I stared at the owner of it.

"Sanjo-kun!" Tadase yelled.

Kairi, Character Changed with Musashi, pushed up his glasses. "Joker, I'll be your opponent."

"What? Wait, Class—"

Amulet Angel changed into Amulet Heart. But even that's useless, because within seconds Kairi has the katana** at her throat. He smiled darkly. "Just like in the battlefield," he murmured, obviously remembering some quote.

"Hinamori-san!" Tadase called.

I turned around. "The X-eggs…they're forming!"

The X-eggs formed into a huge stick. One end of the stick twisted and smashed down on Kairi and Amulet Heart. They jumped away just in time.

"We better go," Tadase said. "See what we can do to help Hinamori-san."

I nod. "Okay."

Outside, we all Character Transform into a) Platinum Royal; b) Clown Drop; or c) Dear Baby. This is Yaya's first time Character Transforming. "Oh, see, I knew it would be a baby! I look so cute! Better take a picture to show Mommy!" She grabbed her cell phone out—it probably had a camera on it.

"What?" Amulet Heart and I shout in unison.

I do Juggling Party, but it's useless. The best we can do is Platinum Royal using Holy Crown for protection.

Kairi pulled his wooden katana out. "Joker!"

"Ran! Switch!" Su squealed.

Amulet Heart became Amulet Clover. Amulet Clover waved her hands. "Sweet Applique!"

Bows and fluff appears on Kairi's katana. He shook them off. Amulet Clover created some more.

"Stop messing around and let's get to fighting!" Kairi yelled, impatient.

"I still believe in you." Amulet Clover said forcefully. "You can call me an idiot if you want. I still want to believe!"

"You're STILL saying that?"

"The Kairi that was the Jack of Seiyo Elementary! That Kairi—he was the real Kairi!" Amulet Clover insisted.

Kairi was silent for a moment. "The…correct…path…" he mumbled. "My…true…self…"

The X-egg blob tried to smash into me, but I barely got out of the way in time. It aimed for Dear Baby and Platinum Royal, and then Amulet Clover.

Amulet Clover jumped out of the way, but she fell down. The blob reared up and prepared to collide into her again—

"Amu!" I shrieked.

"Hinamori-san!" Tadase gasped.

"Amu-chi!" Yaya sobbed.

"My own heart! Unlock!" Kairi muttered. Bright light filled the area. "Samurai Soul!"

The X-egg blob was about to smash into Amulet Clover when suddenly something leaped in front of her. Samurai Soul.

"Kairi!" she gasped.

He looked back at her. "Joker, let's do this together."

OKAY, BUT _WHAT? _LESS THAN A MINUTE AGO HE WAS STILL ON EASTER'S SIDE! HE SERIOUSLY NEEDS TO GET HIS LOYALTIES STRAIGHT!

Not to mention I'm pretty sure he likes Amu.

Samurai Soul does something with his two katanas called Inazuma Blade, breaking the blob apart. Amulet Clover then waves her whisks around and Remake Honey Special pours from them. All the eggs are purified.

Platinum Royal sucked in his breath. "Look! A pure white egg!"

And we all know the silent words he was thinking: _Could that be the Embryo?_

_A few minutes later_

Kairi looks down at the ground. "Everyone—I'm really sorry. I…"

"There's no need to apologize." I say.

"Yeah! We forgive you!" Yaya cheers.

"Class President, everyone believes in you!" Amu smiles.

Kairi smiles faintly. "You think of the path you believe in with your expectations and desires through what you see and hear—the true path will become clear."

Amu and Yaya look blank. "What is that?" Yaya asks.

"Some sort of spell?" Amu guesses.

Kairi shakes his head. "It is something Miyamoto Musashi once said. Even if you think you're right, there are times well you may very well be wrong. That's why you must hold close to your heart the path you wish to take." He looks up and I notice he's blushing. "The right path for me to take is you, Joker."

WHOA. See, I was right about something I have no experience in!

"What? What's with this mood?" Yaya demands.

"H-hey wait, you two!" Tadase waves his arms around frantically. Jealous, huh?

Miki flies up. "Sorry to ruin the mood but…"

Musashi finishes for her. "We haven't told you about the Black Diamond's official debut yet!"

"Official debut?" Amu echoed.

Kairi nods. "Yes. The recording is already complete. This new CD will be a hundred times more powerful than the current Black Diamond CDs. Tomorrow night, the Master CD and thousands of X-eggs will be flown away by helicopter. If that happens, there's no stopping it."

"There's no way we'll let that happen!" Amu gasps.

"Yeah, we'll stop them before the helicopter takes off!" Yaya yells.

"Tomorrow night, everything will be put to an end," Tadase growls like he has a personal grudge with Easter.

Which may be true. I sure don't know why he hates Ikuto so much…maybe because he likes to flirt with Amu?

But seriously, another night like this? I'm not going to get any of my homework done. And I've used up all my good excuses already.

_*I use Il and El for the names of Hoshina Utau's Guardian Characters. I know they are referred to as Iru and Eru in the anime, but they are Il and El in the manga and I will always call them Il and El._

_**A katana is a Japanese samurai sword._

_Hey, this is Nintai-chan here. Thanks to LizzieGlee12 and Pure Innocence Flowing Time for reviewing! This chapter took me a long time to write because I'm not good with battle description. I didn't know what to call the X-egg blob/stick so I just tried my best. Sorry if it's confusing!_

_Also, I won't be able to update as often. Maybe twice every week?_


	4. A Black Cat Crosses My Path: Part 1

_December 21__st_

We all meet in front of the school. Yaya is dressed in black from head to toe. She even painted her white sneakers black.

"Sanjo-kun! Where are they taking off?" Tadase demands.

"I'm…not…completely sure…my apologies." Kairi stutterers.

"What? I thought you had figured this out beforehand!" Amulet Angel shrieks.

Yaya puts her hands on her hips. "Well then, there's only one option now! We go and check out all the Easter-related airports!"

Kairi took out a map and scanned it. "There are four in the city."

"Okay, let's go!"

The first one we visit is a skyscraper with a helicopter landing pad. We are stopped by the guards. "This building is for the DARTS."

We got lucky on the second building. Hoshina Utau and her manager stand outside of the plane, talking. When Kairi sees them, he trips.

"Come on, let's go!" The woman insists.

"Not so fast!" Amulet Angel yells, with spotlights (courtesy of Miki, Ran, and Su) shining down on her. "The shadows lurking, hidden by night. We cannot overlook this!"

Ha, next time she Character Transforms with El, I'm bringing a video camera along.

"Coming here alone…" The lady scoffed.

"We are here too!" We all shout on cue.

"Let's go! My own heart, unlock!" Tadase hollers.

"My own heart, unlock!" I say.

"My own heart, unlock!"

"And Yaya's own heart, unlock!"

Blinding light shoots out of the Humpty Lock Amulet Angel is wearing. When it fades, we are all standing around in our various transformations. Samurai Soul steps up. "Nee-san, I can no longer take part in your schemes!"

_Nee-san? _Kairi's sister glares at him. "Kairi—"

"Wait, this old lady is the Class President's sister?" Dear Baby asks. "Yaya thought she was the Class President's mother!"

The woman, Sanjo-san, scowled at her. "OLD LADY? MOTHER?"

"Calling her old ticks her off. She's turning 26 soon," Samurai Soul whispers out of the corner of his mouth. He raised his voice. "Nothing can change the fact that I am indebted to you for life. Thanks for supporting me for the last few months. However, that is why," he took a deep breath, "I want you to know that what you are doing is wrong!"

Amulet Angel and Dear Baby look impressed. They're such suckers for moral heroes.

Sanjo-san smiles. "You're getting quite bold, aren't you, Kairi? But that does sound like something you'd say."

Utau stares at Amu. "Amu."

Amu walks forward. "Utau, I came here today to talk to you."

Utau rolled her eyes. "What do we have to talk ab—"

"It's not too late for us to go back." Amulet Angel says quietly. "For us to go back to the time when you sang because you wanted to. The real Utau is—"

"What do you know!" Utau screams. "Tell me, Amu, do you think you can change my life by just TALKING to me? It's more complicated than that! You, who have never taken anything seriously. Do you think you can understand my frustrations and pain? You who live life half-heartedly, never wanting anything or having a need to win. What would you know? Are you so great you will be to change my life today? Are you that great? Do you have that much self-confidence? Hinamori Amu, what do you have to say about that?"

Amulet Angel looks down. "I…"

Dia, Amu's Guardian Character who had gotten an X on her and was now staying with Utau, floats to Amulet Angel. "I can hear it. The voice of your heart. You are a lost child."

Amulet Angel stares at the golden-haired Guardian Character. "Dia…"

"Even if you can save your own friends and the X-eggs, you still don't understand your own self." Dia stares coldly at Amu. "Doing things lightheartedly, ambiguous. That is why your light is weak."

"It's true that I don't know myself," Amulet Angel admits. "That's probably why I have so many Guardian Characters."

"Is that your answer? If that's it, then why did you come here?" Dia asked.

"Because…" Amulet Angel mumbled. "Because…I thought…"

"That's enough, Dia." Utau said. "There is no other way out besides for us to fight."

"I won't fight with Utau," Amulet Angel stated, "because I like her."

"What are you doing, Dia? Get back here!" Utau shouted. Dia shook her head.

"Fine, be that way. Il, Character Transformation!"

"Really?" Il asked excitedly. "Okay!"

"My own heart, unlock." Light lit up the area. "Lunatic Charm!"

Sanjo-san climbed up the ramp to the helicopter. "Get rid of them quickly," she called at Lunatic Charm. Lunatic Charm nodded.

"The time for our last battle has finally arrived."


	5. A Black Cat Crosses My Path: Part 2

_Hello, this is Nintai-chan. Sorry for sort of screwing up the last chapter. I had a reader complain that it was just a retelling of episode 42, and there were some typos and past/present tense mistakes. _ I'll try not to do that from now on…_

_ But anyways, I'm trying to decide how to end this story—Amuto or Tadamu? I'm leaning towards Amuto right now, but if Tadamu is more popular, I'll do Tadamu. I've posted up a poll on my profile (/u/2853741/NintaiChan). Majority wins._

_ Enjoy Chapter 5—A Black Cat Crosses My Path: Part 2._

"Nightmare…Lorelei!" Lunatic Charm screams and a blast of scarlet butterflies hits us. I drop to my knees, blocking my face.

"Tadase! Do Holy Crown!" I shout, but he doesn't hear me.

Lunatic Charm smiles sadistically. "You've got to do better than that, you pathetic Guardians." She lifts her hand, and a trident appears. "Ririn Trident!"

Lunatic Charm charges at Amulet Angel. Dear Baby starts gasping—the sign that a storm is coming soon. If she has one of her temper tantrums here, I'm never giving her another lollipop. "Amu-chi!"

"El! Do something to block the trident!" Miki calls.

Amulet Angel opens her hands, and two white flags appeared in them. "White Flag Double Plan!"

WHAT? SHE'S NOT PLANNING ON SURRENDERING, IS SHE?

Amulet Angel grins for a minute and then she pauses, realizing what she is holding. "EL!" she shrieks angrily.

Lunatic Charm rolls her eyes. "El is useless like always."

Maybe she said that too quickly, because a moment later, the white flags turn out to be very useful if you make an X with them and use the cross as a shield. The trident smashes into the flag-cross.

Miki, Su, Ran, Platinum Royal, Samurai Soul, and I gasp in unison, "She stopped it!" Dear Baby is too busy wiping her eyes.

Amulet Angel smiles sweetly, winking. "It's resistance without resistance!"

Okay, well, whatever.

Platinum Royal turns to us. "Let's help!"

Dear Baby sniffles, and then salutes. "Okay!"

I nod.

"Wait," someone mutters. We all look up. Ikuto leaps down from the mission control tower.

Yoru gives us a toothy grin. "The hero always arrives last."

"You wish," I retort. "But the Guardians are going to win this one."

"Tsukiyomi Ikuto!" Platinum Royal scowls.

"Do you really have to do that? I already know his name." I ask him.

"Sorry, old habit." He smiles sheepishly.

Lunatic Charm looks up and pauses from attempting to stab Amulet Angel with her trident. "Ikuto?"

Ikuto ignores her. "My heart, unlock!"

Light flashed out of his Dumpty Key. "Black Lynx!"

He crouches down and leaps at us like a…well, like a cat. We all jump out of his way.

Platinum Royal grabs his scepter and spins it around. Golden light shoots out of it. Black Lynx places a claw on the scepter. "Why are you interfering? This is Utau and Amu's one-on-one battle." He looks at Platinum Royal, eyes full of contempt. "But if you want, I can be your opponent."

"King!" Samurai Soul yells, and slashes his swords at Black Lynx. Black Lynx jumps up and does a black flip over Samurai Soul, landing behind him.

"I'm here to help." Samurai Soul starts doing these complicated sword moves, slicing them in the air. Black Lynx avoids the blades, leaping up and doing flips in the air. If I didn't know better, I'd think they were dancing.

Black Lynx's claw gets caught into Samurai Soul's katanas. "Shimata*," he mutters under his breath. I glance at the three guys.

"Juggling Party!"

Black Lynx's eyes flash, and he pulls his claw out of the swords. "Slash Crow," he says in a bored tone, and slashes through all of my bowling pins. _Pure evil._ I glare at him, my cheeks red with anger.

Dear Baby frowns. "Well, in that case, it's Yaya's turn! Check out my new killer move! Go, go, little duckies!"

"If Juggling Party didn't work, how do you expect those water fowl to work?" I ask Dear Baby, still feeling peeved over the Slash Crow.

Black Lynx gives the ducks a malevolent look, and they fly away, quacking. Dear Baby starts sucking her thumb. _So not helpful…next time, let's not bring Yaya._

Amulet Angel turns away from Lunatic Charm to look at us. "Guys…" she says sadly.

"Amu." Amulet Angel looks back at Lunatic Charm. "Right now is not the time to be worried about your friends."

"Utau!" Amulet Angel screams, barely dodging a blow from the trident. El, from inside Amulet Angel, starts yelling.

"Il!"

"What is it?" Il snaps from inside Lunatic Charm.

"Let's combine our powers," she begs. "Let's save Utau-chan together!"

I feel for the secret hidden pocket on my shoe. I find it and take out my cell phone.

"What are you saying, you idiot?" Il sneers.

I first check my phone for missed calls and new messages. There are none. I go to Pictures and select "Take Picture."

"What are you doing, Mashiro-san!" Platinum Royal hollers. Suddenly, Black Lynx kicks his wrist, causing him to drop his scepter. "Hey!"

"You know it, too." El insists.

I raise my phone to get a good shot of Amulet Angel. I press the button and the words PICTURE TAKEN appear on the screen.

"The Utau now is not the real Utau-chan!" El clarified.

"What are you doing, Il!" Lunatic Charm demanded. "That's why I don't like Character Transforming with you."

Il huffed. "Fine." Lunatic Charm turned back into her normal self. Il flew over to Amulet Angel. Amulet Angel changed back to Amu.

"Il, you understood, didn't you?" El said happily.

Il grinned, doing a flying side kick at El but stopping at the last moment. "Finally, I'm back in condition!" she said, doing a few punches in the air.

Il turns to Amu. "Amu, let's do it together!"

"Do what?" Amu asked.

"That 'my heart, unlock!' thing!"

The Humpty Lock starts shining with light. "Amulet Devil!"

Utau looks at the ground. "I see…so that's how it is." She looks up. "Well, even if Il and El leave me, I still have Dia! My heart, unlock!"

"Dark Jewel!" Dark Jewel waved her hands. "Shining Black!"

"Devil's Tune!" Amulet Devil laughed, slamming her electric guitar.

"Utau's power is being suppressed by Amu." Ikuto comments.

"Glitter Particle!" Dark Jewel shrieks and glitter surrounds her. The glitter explodes and Amulet Devil is turned back into just Amu. She lies on the ground, breathing heavily.

"She's strong…" Amu mumbled, partially opening one eye.

"I _am _strong." Dark Jewel agrees. Modest is a word you would not describe Hoshina Utau with. "You know why? Because I have thrown away my kindness and naiveté." Weak is another.

"I used my song and perseverance until I could win." Dark Jewel scowls. "You, who use kindness as your excuse, can lose. You won't feel anything."

"There is no flaw in Utau's shine." Dia whispers from inside Dark Jewel. "Diamonds are perfect, impeccable. Her strength and determination makes Utau shine. But you—can _you _shine?"

"You cannot possibly shine." Dark Jewel answers for Amu. "That is your answer."

"It's frustrating." Amu says. "I imagine there is no one who is happy when defeated. It's frustrating when you've lost, but winning doesn't mean you'll stop hurting." She stood up. "The most important thing is that you're not afraid to try again. That you can do your best. Defeat makes you stronger. Even though I'm always indecisive and vague about who I am and what I want, I believe. I believe in my inner shine."

Everyone looks touched besides me. I'm pretty sure she's been reading those self-esteem books again. Yeah, I'm not exactly the sentimental type.

Dark Jewel turns back into Utau, and Dia flies over to Amu. "Yes, that is your answer." Dia says. Amu is quiet for a minute. The Humpty Lock starts shining. Amu and Dia are absorbed inside a shining globe and float up into the sky.

_Could this be…a Character Transformation with Dia?_

*_Shimata is a Japanese profanity._


	6. A Black Cat Crosses My Path: Part 3

_Sorry for retelling the last two chapters. The problem is that I have to have the same important details in there and I can't add anything major like Tadase confessing his love to Amu. But I'll make it up next chapter when this loooonng fight scene is over. I dislike writing battles because I'm not good with description._

_ *I know she is usually referred to as Amulet Dia, but I think it makes more sense if she's called Amulet Diamond because she can fit in with Amulet Heart, Spade, and Clover. _

Once the golden orb fades, I can clearly see a girl dressed in yellow floating. Amulet Diamond*. A scene flashes through my mind: the day Amu told us her egg had an X on it.

_ It had been after we'd brought Yaya's baby brother to the doctor's since he had felt feverish. We were waiting in the lobby. Ran turned to Amu. "Now would be a good time to tell them, Amu-chan!"_

_ "Yeah, who knows when you'll get another chance?" Miki coaxed._

_ "Tell us what, Amu-chi?" Yaya asked, chewing on her complimentary peppermint from the candy bowl on the coffee table. _

_ "Amu-chan has an—" _

_ "Su!" Amu frowned. "I'll tell them myself." She took a deep breath. "Okay so I had a Guardian Egg I didn't tell you guys about and then it got an X on it and now I don't know where it is."_

_ "You're stupid." I said quietly. "She's your Guardian Character, isn't she? She's a part of you. All what you have to do is believe in her."_

_ "Yeah, and we'll help, Amu-chi!" Yaya squealed, popping another peppermint in her mouth._

_ "We're behind you, Hinamori-san. The Guardians protect all the students." Tadase smiled._

_ Musashi whispered something in Kairi's ear, and Kairi looked down and mumbled, "I know." Huh?_

Amulet Diamond landed on the ground. We all dashed to her. "You did it, Amu!" I yell.

"Welcome back, Dia!" Ran shouts.

"Amu-chi, you look cool!" Dear Baby says. "Yaya is jealous!"

"Hinamori-san, congratulations!" Platinum Royal grins.

"Joker, you got her back!" Samurai Soul smiles.

I turn to look at Utau.

"Character Transforming with a Guardian Character besides your own takes a lot of energy, Utau-chan." El remarks. "What's wrong? Maybe she's sleepy?"

"I don't think that's it…" Il says.

"Well, since Utau-chan has been Character Transforming with Dia this whole time," Il flinched at the words, "she probably doesn't have any energy left to fight."

Utau is kneeled on the floor. "I aimed for heights higher than anyone," she mumbles. "So that I wouldn't lose to anyone." Tears start dripping down her face. "Sealing away my feelings. But even then…I lost."

Sanjo-san calls from the airplane, "UTAU! WE'RE LEAVING!"

Everyone ignores her.

"FINE! I'M LEAVING BY MYSELF!"

"I…lost…to…Amu." Utau weeps.

"That's not true," Amulet Diamond says modestly. "There was never any winning or losing between us to start with."

"Until she made it into a huge contest of Who Can Get The Freaking Embryo First." I point out. Amulet Diamond shoots me a _you-aren't-helping _look.

"YOU HAVE ONE LAST CHANCE, UTAU!" Sanjo-san screams into a megaphone.

We all ignore her, but I notice Platinum Royal surreptitiously placing earplugs into his ears.

"You still have your songs!" Amulet Diamond yells over the roar of the plane engines. "You've got your music! I really like your voice!"

There's some shouting from inside the plane, and then the plane engines quiet down.

"Onee-chan!" A little girl screams. "Why didn't you tell me about Utau's concert the other night? I'm Utau's number one fan!"

"Ehhh…." Amu paled. "Ami…I mean…HOW THE HECK DID YOU GET HERE?"

"Long-haired onii-chan helped me!"

"WHAT? WHO'S THAT? AN AXE MURDERER?"

"You've been watching too many horror movies." I tell her.

"True," Amu admits. "But they're so addictive!"

"Yaya thought Amu-chi hated scary things!" Yaya asked.

"Well, sure, but Rima got me hooked on horror movies after she dared me to watch one with her…"

Ami turned and saw Utau. "UTAU-CHAN! OMG! I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M ACTUALLY MEETING YOU! HERE'S A PERMANENT MARKER, SIGN MY SHIRT! AND MY COAT! AND MY SHOES! AND MY SKIRT!"

"Ami…Mom wouldn't like that…"

Ami snatches a plastic microphone out of her purse and starts singing. I resist the urge to snatch Platinum Royal's earplugs out of his ears and stick them in my own. Samurai Soul sees my expression and hands me some earplugs.

"Hey, Utau-chan! Utau-chan!" Ami shrieks. "Sing something!"

Utau smiles weakly. "I'm not sure—"

"Ami really is a huge fan of you! She watches all of your concerts on television, and she owns all of your CDs!" Amu cajoles.

Ami pumps her fist in the air. "Yesh!"

Utau looks at the ground. "I used to be like that. But the me right now…how can I sing?"

"The desire that El was born from was 'I want to make others happy with my singing!'" El declares. "So fulfill your desire and sing!"

Utau looks at her for a moment, and then stands up, dusting herself off. Since Utau's singing is actually good, I pull out my earplugs.

It's a song I've never heard before—a song that belonged to her, that came from her, not Easter.

_ As the bud of our dreams open_

_ Amidst the brilliant blue sky_

_ It spreads throughout my heart_

_ A gentle fragrance_

_ Can you hear it?_

_ It's the rhythm of love._

_ Listen to the season's love song._

_ I love you._

Once she finishes the last note, she opens her eyes. I'm grinning, and so is everyone else. Even without the stage and spotlights, Utau shines.

A plane engine begins roaring. The plane jerks up.

"No!" I shriek.

"That plane is carrying the Master CD!" Samurai Soul becomes Samurai Obvious.

"We have to stop them!"

Suddenly, a plane window shatters. The shards scatter all over the concrete floor.

"Wha—"

And then I see them. Hundreds of X-Characters are zooming around.

"Holy Crown!" Platinum Royal yells. The X-Characters bounce off the golden shield. One rips it open.

"Tightrope Dancer!" I shout, and the ropes wound around the X-Characters.

A few yards away, Samurai Soul is facing about forty X-Characters. He spins his katanas around, striking every single one. The X-Characters fall to the ground, moaning. "Those weren't meant as fatal blows," he tells them.

Dear Baby stares at all the X-Characters. "Go, go, go, DUCKIES!" The ducks and X-Characters get into a scuffle. The X-Characters are injured, but so are the ducks. I sigh.

Suddenly, something (I'm guessing the X-Characters) causes the plane to begin falling.

"Sanjo-san!" Utau cried.

"Nee-san!" Samurai Soul shouts.

"My heart, unlock! El, let's go!" Utau yells.

"Seraphic Charm!" Seraphic Charm leapt up into the air and caught Sanjo-san.

"Utau…I thought you hated me…" Sanjo-san mumbles.

"How could I ever hate you?"

"The plane's still going to crash! The pilot's inside!" I scream.

Amulet Diamond looks at me, then at the plane. She jumps up. A trophy appears in her hands. "Starlight Navigation!"

A shower of stars rains down at us. The stars form a cage around the plane and slow down the fall.

"Now that all of that's taken care of, these X-Characters still need purification!" Platinum Royal insisted.

Seraphic Charm rolled her eyes. "Someone's impatient. Fine. Amu, leave this to me. Angel's Cradle!"

The X-Characters went back into their X-Eggs, and then the X-Eggs turned into Heart's Eggs. They floated away peacefully. Who knew El had this kind of power?

We all stare at the scene at a loss for words. The music that flows out of Utau is gentle and sweet.

I break out of the stupor first. Taking out my phone, I show Amulet Diamond the picture I took of Amulet Angel. "I'm blackmailing you. If you don't do what I say, this'll picture will be on the school bulletin board," I say, sticking out my tongue.

"What! That's not fair, Rima! You're so cruel! You know that doesn't fit my character at all! Give me that!" Amulet Diamond lunges for my phone.

I roll my eyes. "I want you to be who you really are. No more of that stupid obstinate character you have. Dia was right—you're lost. You don't know who you are. I want you to be able to find who you are."

Okay, so maybe I am sort of the sentimental type.

"Rima, you're evil! Blackmailing your friend…"

"It's better for you. Find yourself, Amu."

"But—"

"You've got to have courage. "

Yep, I'm a huge hypocrite.


	7. Utau Drives Way Too Fast

_December 24__th_

"Rima!" Mom called. "As a special Christmas treat, today we're going to watch a dance performance!"

I rolled out of bed and pulled on some sweats.

"Rima, we're going to be late," Mom scolded ten minutes later when I came out of the shower. I looked around.

"Isn't Dad coming?"

"No, he had some other things to take care of," Mom shifted uneasily.

"I see."

"Here's your ticket! Hold on to it!"

I glance at it. FUJISAKI DANCE RECITAL SPECIAL: CHRISTMAS EVE ONLY! is written in gold across the top. _Fujisaki_…

Once we arrive, the usher guides us to our seats. The lights dim and a girl dressed in a kimono glides out. I recognize her—she's Nadeshiko. I saw her picture in the database that I still haven't returned to Kairi.

Nadeshiko is fabulous—graceful and joyous. Her movements are fluid and the dance captures the emotion of the music. When her dance ends, I'm sad to see her leave.

After the recital, I'm in the ladies' room washing my hands when Nadeshiko walks in. I stare at her. "You're Nadeshiko, aren't you?" I'm jealous of her for more than one reason, but I manage to crack a smile. "Your dancing was great."

"Thanks! What's your name?" Nadeshiko smiles.

"Rima."

"Nice to meet you, Rima! Sorry, I have to leave, I have to prepare for the next performance. My schedule is killer!" She quickly leaves the restroom. It's only a few minutes after she'd left when I wonder what she had come into the restroom to do.

_An hour later_

I'm at home doing my English homework (learning how to conjugate verbs based on the pronoun), nearly falling asleep from boredom, when my cell phone rings. I pick it up on the second ring. "Hah?"

"Rima! I just found out from Kairi that his sister and Utau are planning to leave Easter and start their own music company! They're moving into the new studio today, so let's go help them!" Amu says excitedly.

"Sounds fun," I say sarcastically.

"Come on, it won't be that bad!"

_ 15 minutes later_

And that is why I'm now freezing my butt off walking the million kilometers (but Amu assures me it's only ten blocks) to the music studio.

"Amu-chi!" Yaya screams, waving frantically.

Kairi looks at Amu and blushes. "J-Joker!"

I roll my eyes at Yaya and Kairi. "Sure, everyone ignores the Queen but pays attention to the Joker. In medieval days, I'd chop your heads off."

Kairi shakes his head. "Usually only the king could behead other court members, and in some cases he'd even behead the princes—"

A little crown appeared on Tadase's head. "LISTEN UP! I AM NOT A TRIVIAL THING LIKE A PRINCE! I AM THE KING! AHAHAHAHAHAA!"

"Nice going," I mutter to Kairi.

"Rima-tan usually finds it amusing when Tadase Character Changes!" Yaya defends for Kairi.

"Why so defensive?" I ask, eyeing Yaya. She blushed, realizing how protective she'd seemed.

Someone appears behind Tadase and empties the contents of a teakettle on him. He shakes his wet hair out of his face. "Why is it always green tea? I like jasmine tea better!"

"Too bad, I like green." Utau walks over to Amu. "Why are you here? I didn't ask for your help."

"You're just like Rima!" Amu glares. I kick her in the shin. "Ow!"

Utau looks back at Tadase. "I had to waste all my tea on you, so it's a pity I don't have some to dump on Amu."

Kiseki shrugs. "One must sacrifice for his subjects."

"Well, I'm not here to help you…I'm here to help Kairi!" Amu sticks out her tongue.

Utau and Amu give each other death glares.

"Weren't we supposed to help Kairi move the boxes?" I ask.

"That's what we were supposed to do…" Tadase answers.

"It's okay…I don't think we'll get any work done…" Kairi says.

"Yaya is hungry!" Yaya shrieks.

"We can move the boxes later. Let's go get lunch first." Kairi leads us upstairs. Amu breaks out of the glaring contest, blinking.

"Oh, I'm coming too!"

_Five minutes later_

"Anyways, a toast to our new company, Sanjo Music!" Sanjo-san cheers, holding up her glass of champagne. I roll my eyes. Such an unimaginative name.

"Cheers!" Amu yells, holding up her glass of apple juice. She gives me a look. I sigh and raise my apple juice.

"Yep." I echo in a bored tone.

Sanjo-san looks at Kairi. "But we're not the only ones moving…"

Kairi nods. "I'm moving back to my hometown."

WAIT, WHAT?

"You're kidding, right?" Amu bites her lip. "The Guardians need you, Kairi!"

He shakes his head. "I promised my parents and classmates that I'd be back by the third quarter. I need to go and be their class president."

"Ha! Yaya knew the Class President was the class president type!" Yaya laughed.

"Why, though?" I ask. "Finish the year, at least!"

"I want to go back and find who I am." Kairi smiles. "Just because I'm not physically here doesn't mean our bond will break. I'll visit in the summer."

To find who he was again…to start over…if I had that kind of chance, wouldn't I take it? To have a chance to start over?

"I understand."

_December 25__th_

I'm wakened this morning by my parents arguing. I take out the presents I had gotten for my parents—a pair of earrings for Mom and a notebook for Dad. At first I had wanted to get both of them books on anger management, but then I decided they wouldn't be much use.

I walk into the kitchen. "Mom, Dad, merry Christmas." I hold out the neatly wrapped presents. They stare at them.

"Oh, Rima, I'm so sorry! I was so busy with work I forgot to buy you a present!" Mom cries. _You mean you were too busy fighting with Dad, _I want to say.

"I'll go out and buy you something right now, okay? What do you want?" Dad asks.

_For both of you to stop fighting so pointlessly. To have the courage to be who I really am. To have the ability to laugh again without having to Character Change. _

"The stores probably aren't open right now," I point out.

"Then I'll buy you something tomorrow. What do you want?" Dad says impatiently.

_To be able to say what I really want to say. To have the power to make people laugh. Not fake laughter that masks pain, but genuine laughter._

"Earplugs," I manage.

_December 26__th_

All of the Guardians meet at the corner of First Avenue and Sixth Street.

"I don't have any money for a taxi," Tadase admits guiltily.

Yaya grins. "Yaya spent it on doughnuts."

"I accidentally left it at home…" Amu says.

"Nee-san said she needed all the money we could spare for start-up at Sanjo Music. She didn't give me any." Kairi sighs.

"Don't look at me." I shrug.

"Great, NOW what are we going to do?" Amu groans.

"We walk?" I suggest, and Amu glares a _thanks-for-contributing _look at me.

"It'll take us about six hours to arrive at the airport by foot. My flight will have left by then." Kairi says, pushing his glasses up.

"Let's call someone!" Yaya declares.

"I don't have a cell phone…" Tadase fidgets.

"Nee-san sold mine." Kairi responds.

Amu holds hers up. "The battery's dead."

"I left mine at home." I sigh.

Suddenly, a white van roars up to us. The driver rolls down the window. "Hey, Guardians, Sanjo-san said you needed a ride."

"Utau!" we all gasp.

"You're only fourteen. How can you drive?" Tadase asks.

Utau shrugs. "Easy. It's called a fake license."

I roll my eyes at him. "Tadase, don't be so uptight."

Tadase bites his lip. "But…"

I grab the cup of tea from Utau's hand. "I'll pay Yaya to pour this all over you."

"What kind of tea is that?" Tadase questions.

"Green," Utau answers. "And Yaya, I'll pay you more than Rima offers if you don't pour that all over him. I still want it."

"Fine," Tadase grumbles, sliding into the backseat. "This outfit is new; I don't want it to get ruined."

I smirk, and Utau turns on the radio.

"Okay, everyone got their seatbelts on?" Utau yells over the heavy metal.

"No, I don't—" Kairi began.

"Too bad, we're going!" Utau slams down on the pedal.

"AAAAAHHHHHHH!" we all shriek as she runs two red lights and executes an illegal U-turn because she was going too fast and missed the exit.

"Wimps," Utau snickers.

"Slow down!" I yell.

"Yaya's going to puke! She shouldn't have eaten so many chocolate-glazed doughnuts!" Yaya announces.

"Utau, would it be possible if you put slightly less pressure on the gas pedal?" Kairi begs.

"NO!" Utau shouts.

"Change the music station!" Amu demands. "I hate heavy metal! Change it to alternative!"

"We're going to die and that's all you can think of? I KNEW this was a bad idea!" Tadase hollers.

"We're not going to die, you drama king." Utau rolls her eyes.

"Yeah, that's more like it! I'm a king!" Tadase smiles peacefully. I look at his head and found the golden crown that showed he was Character Changed with Kiseki.

"Okay, we're HERE." Utau turns off the radio.

"That fast?" Kairi asks. "That was less than ten minutes!"

"Well, of course. Did you ever look at the speedometer? She was going a hundred and five kilometers per hour, and we weren't even on the highway!" I scoff.

"Seriously?" Tadase pales.

Sanjo-san runs towards us. "Kairi! I was worried Utau would be irresponsible and forget to pick you children up!"

"Irresponsible?" Utau mutters.

Kairi pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket. "Nee-san, here's a list of what you must eat every day for a balanced diet. Convenience food is not a balanced diet! And make sure you go to sleep each night at the same time—"

"Okay! Will you leave now already?" Sanjo-san mutters, snatching the list and walking away.

Musashi sighs. "What a troublesome sister."

Utau's cell phone begins ringing. She flips it open. "Hello? Really? Oh, that's just great." She looks at the rest of us. "I've got to go. Here's 3000 yen*—that should be enough for a subway ride home." She shook her head. "And Sanjo-san calls me _irresponsible…_"

Kairi looks at Tadase. "King, we were friends."

Tadase smiles. "Yes."

"But I'm also your rival. I'm ahead of you."

Tadase looks puzzled. "What?"

Kairi stares at Amu. "Joker, I love you."

Amu grins. "Yup…" she paused, realizing what Kairi had said. "WAIT, HUH?"

Kairi blushed, but didn't hesitate. "It'll never change. I love you now and in the future. I'll come back for you—when I'm a suitable man."

"I…I…"

"Say something!" I urge. "Your face is bright red!"

Kairi eyed Tadase. "And that is why I'm ahead of you."

"Kairi!" Amu shouts. "Th-thank you! Let's definitely meet again in the future!"

Kairi smiled.

We watched his plane go around the runway, getting faster and faster, until it rose and became a speck in the sky. I'll miss him, not that I'd admit that to anyone.

And that's when I realize I still haven't returned the database on Nadeshiko to Kairi.

*_3000 yen= $36.53 USD as of April 24th, 2011._

_ Yes, Kairi's finally left! Not that I have anything against him, in fact he's one of my favorite characters, but Nagihiko can't show up until he leaves. And this is a _Rimahiko _fan fic! I can't wait until the next chapter when I use Nagihiko's journal instead of Rima's diary!_

_ Keep reading!—Nintai-chan._


	8. I Force Tadase And Kukai Into Skirts

** NAGIHIKO'S JOURNAL**

_January 20__th_

The last time I wrote in this was what, nine months ago? Right after I arrived in Europe? I suppose I've began writing in this again.

Because the truth is, I'm nervous. Way nervous. Of what Kukai will say and do, of his reaction…the fact that I've been lying to him since like second grade.

I'm pressed up against the superintendent's door, listening to every word, waiting for my cue.

"Souma-kun." Tsubasa-san, the school director, says cheerfully.

"Oh, um, you're the director?" Kukai asks carefully.

"Nice to meet you. You're a former Jack's Chair, aren't you?"

"Yeah."

"This is Tsubasa Amakawa-san. He was the very first King's Chair," Tadase introduces.

"It's winter, but you smell like sunshine," Tsubasa admires.

"Uh…yeah…thanks, I guess?" Kukai says hesitantly.

"Don't mind him—he's in a really good mood today," Tadase says.

"So what did you need from me?" Kukai asks.

"Oh, about that. First, let me introduce you to someone. Come on in."

I swallow and put down my pen. I have to store this away now…

_About 17 minutes later_

Well, that went well.

So I walked in. "Hello, it's been a while, Souma-kun."

"Fujisaki Nadeshiko?" Kukai yelled in surprise. He started ruffling my hair affectionately. "Ha, when did _you _come back to Japan?"

"Hee hee, you're messing up my hair," I said in my weak girly voice.

"Hold on, I'm going to go change," I smiled.

"Huh? Go change? Are you going to put on a dance performance?"

"You'll see."

It took longer than usual to change into the boy's uniform because I was stalling. I walked around in the restroom, trying to think of a way to get out of the situation. But that would make things worse. I would have to eventually tell him…

Ten minutes later, I finally walked back into the office. "Thanks for waiting," I said in my normal voice.

"Huh? Nadeshiko? Why are you wearing the boy's uniform?" Kukai asked.

"This is his true form," Tadase said happily. _Why so happy?_

"What are you saying? Even if she dressed as a guy, it's still Nadeshiko."

"He's not dressed as a guy. He's been dressing as a girl this whole time."

I winked. "My real name is Nagihiko. I'm a guy."

Okay, so I'm not exactly the king of tact.

"What? Huh? WHAT?" Kukai screeched.

Oh yeah, his face was priceless.

"I had to dress like a girl so I could learn how to be feminine. It's a Fujisaki dancing tradition," I explained.

"Umm…hold it." Kukai put his hands up, palms facing me. "So what you're saying is…your real name is Nagihiko and you're really a guy…and until now you've been dressed as a girl to train for the feminine form of dancing."

"That's right," I grin.

"Wait, so your _this _is _that _and your _that _is _this?_" Kukai mumbles, mostly to himself. "Hmmm…."

"Don't think too hard about it," I advise him. "Inside, it's the same me."

Tsubasa turned to Kukai. "I asked you here today as a former Jack to convince Nagihiko to become the new Jack Chair."

No way.

"Wait, I already said that'd be difficult," I protested

"Oh, I see!" Kukai replied. "Kairi Sanjo moved away! And the new Guardians won't be decided until the new school year. So until then, the Jack Chair will be open!"

"That's right. And there's that pure white egg that could be the Embryo…" Tadase muttered. "But now that Easter knows about it, I don't know what they'll do next…it hurt us that Sanjo-kun had to leave us during such a crucial time. So I wanted you to help us, since you have a Guardian Character…"

"Hold on a second!" I held up my hand. "I keep telling you, I'm only here for a short period. And right now, my Guardian Character is…"

"Your Guardian Character is what?" The three of them asked in unison.

Daichi looked at the blank spot where Temari used to float, right next to my right shoulder. "Oh, where's Temari today?"

"Oh…um…actually…" I stuttered.

"Why don't you just do it?" Kukai wheedled. "You'll be the substitute Jack Chair." He chuckled. "The former Queen is now the Jack. That's funny!"

"It _is _funny," Tadase agreed.

"It's hilarious," Tsubasa laughed.

"Are you listening to what I'm saying?" I grumbled.

"You really can't do it?" Tadase turned to me with his signature Tadase Sparkly Look.

"Your sparkly look won't work on me," I sweatdropped.

"No, now, Nagihiko-kun. Sometimes 'funny' is a good enough reason." Tsubasa said kindly. "There are answers in weird places. A diamond in the rough. A shining star among the specks. The answer you're seeking…might be in this 'funny' situation, right?"

I swallowed hard. I hate it when people tell me exactly what I'm thinking.

And now I'm standing outside in the snow, wearing the blue Guardian's cape. "I can't believe how pushy the director is. I'm even wearing the cape."

"Now, now." Kukai says soothingly.

"I didn't say I'd do it." I remind him.

"You're going to be here for the rest of winter break anyways, right? Think about it." Kukai grins. "You should go see Hinamori, too. She really wants to see you."

I sigh. I don't even want to think about that problem. "Uh…yeah…there's a problem with that…"

"Huh?"

"Amu-chan wants to see Nadeshiko, not me. And I have a lot to figure out right now…and I wouldn't know what to—"

"NADESHIKO?" someone screams in delight. I turn around, but I already know what I'll see—a familiar pink-haired girl dressed in gothic-punk clothes.

Hey, who knew? I'm psychic!

"No…Nagihiko?" Amu corrects herself. "What are you doing here? Hey, look, you're wearing the school uniform! Cool, are you going to be a student at Seiyo Elementary? Oh my gosh! You're even wearing the Guardian's cape!"

"Yeah!" Kukai yells. "In fact, Nagihiko is going to be…"

"Our new Jack!" both of the boys shout in unison.

"Oh, REALLY? That's awesome! I was a little bummed after Kairi left!" Amu says, her sparkly look coming out.

Shimata. Maybe Tadase's sparkly look doesn't work on me, but Amu's does. I bite my lip, trying to resist it.

I fail.

"Oh, her sparkly look is working," I hear Tadase whispering to Kukai.

"Umm…yeah…" I stutter.

"Sorry, but I have to go. Ami's getting cold," Amu apologizes. I glance at the little girl holding her hand.

"LONG-HAIRED ONII-CHAN!" Ami squeals.

"Oh, _he's _the ax murderer?" Amu mutters.

"_Ax murderer?" _I ask, raising my eyebrows.*

"Ah, it's nothing! It's nothing!" Amu frantically shakes her head. "Anyways, I really have to go! I'm looking forward to seeing you after winter break!"

I fake-smile. "Yeah!"

Pause.

Pause.

Pause.

"WHAT AM I GOING TO DO!" I shriek, fingers tangled in my purple hair, trying to fight the urge to tear it all out.

"Yeah! We got ourselves a new Jack!" Kukai and Tadase high-five.

"You guys suck!"

"Takes one to know one," Ikuto says, jumping out of an oak tree.

I roll my eyes. "Yeah, which would make you—HEY, HOW LONG WERE YOU EAVESDROPPING ON US?"

Ikuto sighs. "I was just practicing my stealth skills by spying on Amu."

"No, weren't you trying to—" Yoru starts. Ikuto flicks him away with his thumb and index finger.

"Don't tell them about that."

"Tell us _what, _Tsukiyomi Ikuto?" Tadase shouts angrily, becoming an apple. The red kind.

Okay, so maybe my metaphors need work.

"Nothing," Ikuto sticks his tongue out and jumps onto the rooftop. That's when I notice the white violin case strapped onto his back. It has a strange purple tint to it. _Hmmm…_but he's gone by the time I open my mouth to ask him about it.

Kukai looks at me. "Nagihiko, now that you're the new Jack, I probably should show you the Jack's duties."

"Jack's duties? They changed after I left?" I ask.

"Let's go to the Royal Garden."

_4 minutes later_

Kukai shifts his weight from one foot to the other, obviously thinking. "Um, so basically the Jack has a secret duty, but don't worry, because it's secret, which makes it cool, like a spy mission or something—"

"I'LL TELL YOU THE DUTY!" Tadase, Character Changed with Kiseki, roars. "IN CARDS, THE JACK IS THE KING'S SERVANT, LIKE HIS DOG! HE IS LOYAL AND FAITHFUL!"

I sweatdrop. "And you want me to be that dog?"

"WOW, YOU CAUGHT ON FASTER THAN SOUMA-KUN! ALTHOUGH NOT AS FAST AS SANJO-KUN!"

"Hey! It wasn't _too _slow; it only took me like two hours…" Kukai protests.

I turn to him. "You really did this 'top-secret cool' stuff?"

"Yeah…but only when we were alone…"

"And the previous Jack did the same?"

"YES! HE WAS VERY EFFICIENT! IT SEEMED LIKE HE WAS USED TO BEING USED BY SOMEONE!"

"Okay, fine. I understand. I've already agreed to be the new Jack," I grumble.

"OKAY! SO YOUR FIRST DUTY IS TO GIVE ME A FOOT MASSAGE!"

Oh, god. I bet his feet stink.

"TAKE OFF MY SHOES!"

"Yes, your Majesty," I say sarcastically.

I was right.

"Have you ever considered washing your feet?" I ask, trying not to choke on the odor.

"YES, I HAVE. BUT THEN I REJECTED THE IDEA."

_Ten minutes later_

I don't _think _I sprained Tadase's ankle…although I did hear something pop when I "accidentally" pulled his left foot the wrong way.

But he's definitely going to have bruises.

"Fujisaki, you're so harsh!" Kukai scolds. "You need to be nicer! You're so different from Nadeshiko…"

"I think you're too nice," I stick my tongue out at him.

"FORMER JACK, I WANT SOMETHING SWEET! GIVE ME CHOCOLATE!"

"Okay, okay. Dark or milk?"

"NEITHER! I WANT WHITE!"

"Fine…but I was saving it for a special occasion…" Kukai pouts.

"Me coming back to Japan isn't a special occasion?" I ask, pretending to be hurt. "Anyways, see, you're spoiling him."

"Well, you see…this is Tadase's way of relaxing."

"Relaxing?"

"Yeah! Usually he's kind and quiet and goody-goody. So his Character Change is like a big backlash. His king character relaxes by being a little more selfish."

"I see," I smile faintly. "In fact, I think there are several patterns to having a Guardian Character. The first is…you're already complete in who you are, but as you search for a new you, a Guardian Character appears. There are kids who don't change so drastically when they Character Change. Like you or Yaya-chan.

"And the other is, you're still incomplete and as you search for someone you want to be, the missing elements become Guardian Characters. Like Amu-chan or Hotori-kun.

"I guess I'm that type too. It's a backlash of wanting to be a boy. Remember my Character Change?"

Kukai winces. "How could I forget?"

"But…" I hold up Temari's pink egg, patterned with flowers.

"Oh," Daichi gasps.

"Temari's Egg," Kukai states.

"Ballet, musicals, tango, street dance…the world has so many different forms of dancing." I take a deep breath. "The reason I left Japan was because I was in a slump. I felt that as a dancer, I was living in a small world." I look at Temari's egg. "But then…Temari returned to her egg." I hold up my other egg—the one that had appeared when Temari had gone back into her egg, which was exactly like Temari's besides the fact it was blue. "And…a new egg appeared."

"What?" Kukai asks excitedly. "You have two eggs?"

"Yeah. But both are still eggs. I don't know when they'll hatch, if they ever do." I cringe at the truth.

"I see." Kukai says in an obvious tone of voice that meant he didn't.

"But…" I shrug. "Maybe I'll take a break from dancing. Watching you guys make me feel like that's okay.

"I'm only a substitute with no Guardian Character…but I'll do it. I'll be the Jack Chair."

"I'm glad to hear that, Fujisaki-kun!" Tadase hobbles on his feet, grasping onto the table for support.

"Oh, you're okay now? Do your feet still hurt? Do you want me to do more?"

"Please, no…"

"Okay, good luck!" Kukai gathers us into a bear hug. "Weakling King and Jack with no Guardian Character!"

I roll my eyes. "Sheesh, Souma-kun, you're so simple-minded."

"Ha ha, that's a good thing!"

"Ow, my feet!"

"Oh, by the way…" Kukai leans closer to my ear. "How is it wearing a skirt?"

"Do you really want to know?" I smile angelically. "I didn't say it before…but I was very serious about dressing like a girl. And I don't like it when people make fun of it or take it lightly." I grab two skirts from the clothing rack next to the chairs. "Here, you should try it on."

"WHOA!" the boys scream in unison.

"Wear. It. Right. Now," I growl.

"Uh, I…" Kukai mumbles.

"Why me, too?" Tadase whines. "You're kidding, right?"

"So you think this is a joke," I snarl. "I guess this makes my whole life a joke."

"Aaack! No, that's not what I meant! I get it! I get it!"

"Yeah, we get it!"

_Three minutes later_

"Can I take the skirt off now?" Tadase begs.

"Not until Souma-kun wears his," I scowl.

"No! No!"

The door to the Royal Garden opened, and I spot a lock of pink hair. "Ah, it's so nice and warm in—"

"H-HINAMORI-SAN?" Tadase shrieks.

I turn to Amu, smiling. "Oh, hi, Amu-chan!"

"No, Hinamori, this isn't what it looks like!" Kukai explains desperately.

…

…

…

"WHAT THE! EWWW! WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING? WEIRDOS! CREEPS! NAGIHIKO!"

Oh, this is going to be an interesting semester ^_^

_Hi! This chapter was really fun to write ^_^ Next time Ran, Miki, and Su will be writing. Please review, it keeps me motivated!_


	9. We Annoy Amu By Painting Her Room

**RAN**

**January 20th**

RAN: Hi Amu! If you're reading this, it means we've already disappeared!

MIKI: (sweatdrops) Ran…you sound so _cheerful _when you say that…

RAN: This is to record all of the fun times we had together!

SU: It was Su's idea!

MIKI: Ran, now that you've finished writing the introduction, it's my turn!

RAN: Nooooo! I want to write some more!

MIKI: What are you writing in there anyways? (looks over my shoulder) HEY! YOU'RE WRITING THAT _TRANSCRIPT STYLE?_

RAN: Yeah!

MIKI: Okay, now you _definitely _have to give the notebook to me! Just cheer me on while I write!

SU: Su'll bake cookies!

**MIKI **

**Still January 20****th**

Ha, today Amu had to go and build snowman with Ami while we got to stay home and mess up—oops, I meant decorate—Amu's room.

I hope she likes her new walls, which now feature life-size Guardians. I deserve all the credit, although Ran and Su insist they should get some too for holding up the heavy paint buckets for hours while I painted.

"At least let us sign our names in the corner!" Ran whines.

"Psh, then it'll give the wrong impression that _you _painted her walls," I scoff.

"The cookies are ready!" Su squeals, handing me a platter of oatmeal raisin cookies. While I'm stuffing my face, Ran and Su sneakily sign their names in the corner.

Jerks.

Amu's bedroom door opens, and Amu walks in. Her eyes are half-closed, a sign she's exhausted. "Whew, I finally finished the snowman. But the face turned out weird. And the prince in that skirt…but it was pretty cute."

Um, huh? On second thought, I actually don't want to know.

Her eyes open a little. "Hey, Ran, Miki, Su, guess what?" Then she saw her walls. "WHAT HAPPENED? MIKI?"

"Hey, don't blame it all on me, they helped too," I jab my finger at Ran and Su.

"Oh, so _now _you say we helped you?" Ran mutters angrily.

Ami runs in Amu's bedroom, followed closely by her dad. "Onee-chan? Why are you shouting? COOL! I WANT WALLS LIKE THAT TOO!"

"Amu, did you do these all by _yourself_?" Amu's dad gasps.

Amu shifts nervously. "Um…uh…yeah…I guess…"

Hmmmph. Taking all the credit for my work. But I guess she doesn't exactly have another option.

"Do my room too! Do my room!" Ami begs.

"You don't have any homework, right? It's winter break and you've finished it all," Amu's dad states.

"Fine…I mean, I don't have anything else to do…" Amu grumbles. Then she glares at me. "Miki, you are _so _Character Changing with me for this one," she hisses out of the corner of her mouth.

"Fine," I sigh.

**An hour later**

"God, my arms are sore," Amu groans.

"YAY! YAY! ONEE-CHAN, YOU'RE AWESOME!" Ami shrieks. Her walls now feature Hoshina Utau in different Character Transformations—Lunatic Charm, Seraphic Charm, and (this one was a bit painful for Amu) Dark Jewel.

"I just want to go to sleep," Amu sighs.

Su floats out of the kitchen. "Try these chocolate chip cookies! They're fresh!"

I take one, Ran takes three, and Amu takes fourteen.

Su looks dejectedly at the empty plate. "Su wanted to try them too!"

"Here," Amu hands one to Su. "I'm going to go shower, and then hit the sack!"

** Fifteen minutes later**

"Wow, it's snowing again!" Amu says. She's in her pajamas, hands pressed against her bedroom window. Silvery pristine flecks and slivers drift across the dark, silent night.

Cool, that sentence was pretty poetic.

She grins. "I just have this feeling that something's going to happen!" She yawns. "But I probably should just…get under the covers…and sleep…"

She pulls her neatly folded blankets away and climbs into bed, her eyes already closed.

"Um…Amu…" I say, trying to stay calm.

"AMU-CHAN!" Ran screams, throwing her pom-poms at Amu.

"How cute!" Su coos.

Amu rubs her eyes. "What?" She opens her eyes, standing up. "What? Huh?" she mumbles, still trying to understand. Her eyes widen as she glances at the bed. "WHAAAATT?"

"Well, this seriously counts as something!" I point out.

Because curled up next to her was no other than the one and only Tsukiyomi Ikuto.


	10. Tadase Fails At Confessing

"Maybe he thought this was his room!" Su suggests.

"Of course not!" Ran laughs.

"I see love on the horizon…" I stroke my chin.

"WHAT'S GOING ON? WHY IS IKUTO IN MY BED?" Amu screeches.

"It's noisy…" Ikuto mumbles.

"I can't sleep!" Yoru complains. Amu snatches him.

"Hey, you! Explain yourself!"

"Actually, last night, Ikuto was running away from these suspicious guys, only he couldn't get into the house and all of our friends' houses were being guarded by Easter! He escaped from Easter and stole his violin—actually, his dad's violin—so now he's in big trouble! He was in an alley, but he was feverish and I was scared if he fell asleep he'd never wake up! And so…it was my great idea to bring him here!"

"Oh, I understand. I guess everything's okay then." Amu smiles. Then her expression changes to one of wrath. "OF COURSE IT'S NOT OKAY! YOU LITTLE…" Her fingers tighten around Yoru.

"Chased by whom?" Ran asks.

"So it's a really serious situation…" I mutter.

Amu bends down. "Hey you! Ikuto! Get up!" She grabs the cup of chamomile tea from her nightstand. "Or else I'll pour—"

Amu's bedroom door opens. "What's wrong? I heard you yell?" Amu's dad walks in, blinking sleepily. Ikuto's arm shoots out and grasps Amu's wrist, pulling her under the covers. Amu's dad looked around. "Huh? Was I imagining things?" He left.

"Hey Ikuto! Get out!" Amu hisses.

"How heartless," Yoru fake-sobs. "You're going to throw a sick person out in the cold?"

"Urgh…" Ikuto grunts. "If you yell, your daddy will come again. You should just sleep."

"Easy for you to say…but…I CAN'T SLEEP!" Amu groans.

**January 21****st**

**SU**

Amu-chan says she couldn't sleep at all! She looks tired.

"It's morning. And he's still here," Amu sighs.

"Like you aren't happy about that," Miki scoffs.

"What are you saying, Miki?" Amu laughs nervously.

"ONEE-CHAN, I WANT TAIYAKI*!" Ami shrieks.

"Su too!" I squeal. "Su ran out of ingredients, so Su couldn't make it herself!"

**Half an hour later**

Ami sneezed. And sneezed again. And then sneezed again. She must be cold.

"Oh, Ami, where's your scarf?" Amu asks.

Ami looks around

**MIKI**

Ahahaha! Su didn't even put up a fight. She said she was getting tired of writing. Psh, it was _her _idea.

So, where were we?

Right. Ami looks around. "It's gone! This is a mystery!"

"You just dropped it somewhere," Amu sweatdrops.

Ami sneezes straight into the face of some poor kid.

"Oh! I'm sorry! Are you okay?" Amu gasps. "Ami, you have to be careful!"

"Sorry!" Ami apologizes.

"Where are your mom and dad?" Amu asks.

The kid turns his head and stares straight at Ran, Su, and me. _Whaaaa?_

_Can he see Guardian Characters?_

He points at a spot above my head. Oh. He had seen the taiyaki shop.

"Did you want a taiyaki?" Amu smiles.

Amu bought the taiyaki and gave it to the kid. She also bought an extra one for Ikuto.

"Yay, piping hot taiyaki!" Ami shouts.

"It looks delicious," Su says.

"…Fish?" the boy asks curiously.

"Huh?" Amu stammers.

"A baked fish?" the boy examines it closely.

"Oh, you've never had taiyaki? Here, this is a snack. You start with the head!" Amu chomps down on her chocolate-flavored taiyaki.

The boy bites down tentatively, and his whole face lit up.

**I didn't have a watch on me…but I think about twenty minutes later**

"Welcome home, it's almost time for lunch," Amu's mom says.

"Okay!" Amu yells, already halfway up the stairs.

"Phew!" she looks around. "Huh? Did he go home? Well, that's good. I had nothing to worry about. I'm glad he's gone…"

From under her bed, a voice mumbles, "This isn't my room…Yoru?"

"WHAAAAT?" Amu shrieks. She turned around and saw a white violin case on the wooden floor. It was glowing purple. "The violin case? What's with the violin case?"

"Nothing," Ikuto sighs, crawling out from under the bed.

"Amu-chan, give him the thing," Ran reminds her.

"Oh yeah! Ikuto, this is for you!" Amu hands him the brown paper bag containing the taiyaki. "You're hungry, aren't you? And it's chocolate-flavored! But as soon as you eat this, I need you to go!"

Ikuto stares at Amu.

**Eight minutes later**

Ikuto is still staring at Amu. Amu is growing more and more uncomfortable, and finally breaks. "Okay, fine, what _is _it?"

"You're mad, but you still remembered I like chocolate."

"Give it back!" Amu says angrily.

"No, I want to eat it." He opened the bag and bit down on the tail.

"Ikuto eats it from the tail…" Amu mumbles to herself. Stalker much?

Ikuto turns to Amu. "By the way, you should lock your window."

"You're the cat-eared pervert who snuck in there," Amu retorts.

"You keep on saying 'pervert', but do you even know what that means?"

"Of course I do!"

"Reeeeaaaaaalllllly. So you know what a real pervert is like?"

"H-huh?"

"A real one is someone like you, who watches me sleep while smiling the whole time."

"Wh-what? I wasn't smiling!"

I sweatdrop. "You sort of were…"

"Hey! Miki! Who's side are you on here?"

"Just telling the truth…"

Ikuto grins. "Bye, I'm going." He stands up and walks to the window.

"Huh?"

"Wait, but where can we go? Your house and all of our friend's houses are being watched—"

"Shut up, Yoru."

"You have nowhere to go?" Trusting and Compassionate Amu (a.k.a. Gullible Amu) asks.

Funny how Trusting and Compassionate Amu comes out only when she's with Ikuto.

"No…but it's okay, I can sleep anywhere. On a bench in the park or something," Ikuto replies.

"But…you're not feeling well…"

"That's right!" Yoru says.

"Kind of…but I got some rest, and ate some chocolate. So I'll be fine." Ikuto turns and opens the window.

"Wait!" Amu yells. "If it's only for a little while…you can stay here."

There's a knock on the door. "Amu."

"Whoa!" Amu goes to answer it. "But we have to keep it a secret from my family, and you can stay only in my room. Got it? Stay here!"

Amu's dad is outside, screaming. "Amu-chan! Who's the boy? Do you have a boyfriend already?"

"Huh?" Amu, Ran, and I shriek. Su is busy dusting Amu's room. Did he find out already?

"Amu-chan, you have a visitor," Amu's mom smiles.

Oh. It's just Tadase.

"Uh, good evening," he says.

"Huh? What are you doing over here?" Amu asks.

"Ami-chan forgot her scarf at school yesterday, so he brought it over," Amu's mom answers for him.

"I thought she would need it," Tadase says.

"Thank you, onii-chan!"

"No! Ami! Don't call him ONII-CHAN!" Amu's dad faints.

"Oh, Ami, could you bring me a bucket of water?"

"The tap is too high for me!"

"Then could you bring the kettle of tea over? We need to wake Dad up," Amu's mom explains.

Tadase pales, realizing at once what they were going to do. "Is…that…green…tea?"

"Yeah! Would you like to try some?" Amu sparkles.

Tadase gulps. "N-no…Yaya already…did…"

"Oh, not like _that_, idiot!" Ran, Kiseki, and I shout at the same time. "You seriously think she's going to pour tea on you!"

Amu waves Tadase to her room. "Come on, let's go upstairs."

"I need to tell you something anyways," Tadase says.

Amu dashes into her room and pushes Ikuto into the closet. "O-okay, you can come in now," she calls to Tadase.

"What a cute room. It really suits you," Tadase says, sitting down on Amu's bed.

There's a noise from the closet. "Meow."

"Huh? A cat?" Tadase asks, confused.

"No, that was…um, Ran?"

"Huh? Oh, meow meow," Ran imitates.

I sweatdrop. "No way."

"Y-yeah! Ran's been into imitating animal voices!"

"Woof, woof."

Amu begins trembling with anger.

"Is something the matter?" Tadase asks.

"Wh-what? No, it's nothing! So…what's up?"

"Um, well, since we've got a chance, I guess I'll tell you. I wanted to tell you after we fought Utau-chan, but then Sanjo-kun got to it first, and one thing led to another and I guess I never got another opportunity." His words spill out.

"Kairi? The Class President?" Amu asks.

"Yeah. I don't know if I can say this right, but can you hear me out?"

"I had told you once…that I was in love with Amulet Heart. Remember?" He looks down at the bedspread. "Hey, this is a cute bedspread. Where'd you get—

"Don't get sidetracked!" Amu reminds him.

"Oh, right. Amulet Heart was so striking at the time…I was blind and couldn't really see the line between her and you as a normal girl." He swallows. "Even though you're both the same girl. I didn't realize something so obvious—that Amulet Heart is part of you. But as I spent more time with you, I slowly began to understand that.

"When you first told me you liked me, I rejected you in front of everyone. Yet later I told you I fell in love with a different part of you. I hurt you more.

"So I'm sorry."

"Oh! That was a long time ago! I don't really care!" Amu shakes her head quickly.

"It's different now. I want to view you the same no matter how different your appearance may be." He looks up, blushing. "Right now I'm not as strong as I am when I Character Change. But I want to say it. Please let me say it. I may be unworthy, but….can I be in love with you?"

Okay, that was a fail confession if I'd ever heard one. But Su and Ran are gaping in excitement. Romantics. I'm more of the practical type.

"Tadase…" Kiseki shakes his head in embarrassment.

"Oh…I'm sorry, I…" Tadase blushes.

"Oh! It's okay!" Amu stammers.

"I know my timing's a little off…you don't have feelings for me, right?"

Of course Tadase would ask that, after she'd confessed to him in front of the entire student body. But then again, that was back in fourth grade.

"No, it's not that. I was just surprised…I thought you were going to tell me something about the Guardians or school business…"

"Thank you for listening," Tadase sparkles. "See you tomorrow, Hinamori-san!"

"Amu-chan. Just call me Amu-chan," Amu says quietly.

"Oh, are you sure?"

"Yeah, I call you Tadase-kun."

"Good-bye then…Amu-chan."

**Four minutes later**

"Tadase-kun…"Amu mumbles, lost in her thoughts.

"'Can I be in love with you,' huh?" Ikuto chuckles.

"Whoa! Hey, were you eavesdropping?"

"It's not _my _fault. I was abruptly shoved in the closet and then you guys started talking."

"Hey! Why are you on the bed? On the floor!"

"It's cold…" Ikuto whines.

"I don't care!"

**A minute later**

"Aaaagh! Hey! I told you to sleep on the floor!"

"But the floor is cold and hard."

"I don't care! Get out!"

"You're making me want to stay more." Ikuto brings Amu's face close to his own. "I'm sick."

"Urgh."

"You warmed me last night. Do it again."

"Well, last night I didn't really have a choice, did I?"

"Kids have a high body temperature. You're like a human heating pad."

"You're treating me like a kid again! I'll be in junior high in two months!"

"But junior high and high school are really different."

"You're in high school?"

"I'm seventeen. I'll be a senior this spring."

Amu bites her lip, scowling. "That violin…is it something important?"

"Oh, not really. Just a keepsake of my father."

"What? That's really important!"

"Not really. I don't even remember his face. My stepfather is annoying, but at least he's a stranger. Blood relations are a burden to me. Because of what my real father did, I'm tied down to Easter."

"And that Dumpty Key? Is that a keepsake too?" Amu asks.

Ikuto hesitates. "Yeah."

Amu rolls her eyes. "You're like a rebellious child!"

"Huh?"

"You always treat me like a kid, but you're just one yourself!"

Ikuto closes his eyes. "Tadase is in love with you, huh?"

"What? It's none of your business! Anyways, don't you have someone you like, too? You're in high school."

"I do." Ikuto opens one eye and peeks at Amu.

"You."

*_Taiyaki is a Japanese snack shaped like a fish._


	11. I Meet Nadeshiko's Suspicious Twin

**RIMA'S DIARY**

_January 22__nd_

The last time I wrote in this thing was almost a month ago, when Kairi left. Then I lost it. Tch.

Well, technically speaking, I didn't _lose _it. Kusukusu used it as a stage in the Royal Garden to show the other Guardian Characters her juggling tricks. Apparently she thought I wouldn't notice it was missing.

Because I wouldn't notice something I use constantly was missing.

Our new semester starts today. Mom drops me off (overprotective much? I'm the only 6th grader I know who still has to be taken to school by her parents) and I walk into class. Nikaidou-sensei looks at me. "Mashiro-san, you're three minutes late!"

I give him an icy look. "So? You won't do anything about this unless you want your little date with Yukari Sanjo-san leaked all over the school."

Nikaidou-sensei flushes. "How did you know about that?"

"I was bored."

"That doesn't answer my question!"

"You know, you really should try to be less noticeable when you're on a date. I bet everyone in the restaurant could hear you laughing."

Cool and Spicy Amu raises her hand. "Nikaidou-sensei, HURRY UP. We aren't here to watch you stammer."

"Mashiro-san, just sit down!"

I roll my eyes and sit down.

_After school_

"Whaaaat? You're Nadeshiko's twin?" Yaya asks.

"Yeah, nice to meet you. I'm the new Jack Chair, Nagihiko Fujisaki," this guy with long dark hair grins. Something about him makes me distrust him immediately. Maybe it's the fact that there's no mention of him in Kairi's database of Nadeshiko.

"No way! And a boy? You guys knew already?" Yaya turns to Amu and Tadase.

"Yeah," they respond in unison.

"No fair!"

"Hey Nagi, do you have a Guardian Character too?" Ran asks.

"What's he like?" Pepe pipes up.

Nagihiko takes a blue egg with flowers patterned on it out of the inner pocket in his cape. "Yeah, this is my Guardian Egg. But he's not born yet."

"Even the Guardian Eggs have twins?" Miki gasps.

"It looks exactly like Nadeshiko's!" Ran observes.

Nagihiko notices me, eyebrows lifting. "Hey, you're that girl—" He stops.

I eye him. "Yes?"

"I mean, Nadeshiko told me about you! She met you during her Christmas Eve dance performance!"

I nod suspiciously. "You're going to be the new Jack even though you don't have a Guardian Character? I preferred Kairi."

"Umm…" Nagihiko mumbles.

"I asked him to substitute for the time being. After all, Fujisaki is the former Que—"

Nagihiko's hands reach out and yank on Tadase's cheeks. "Oh, the muscles in your cheeks seem tense. Let me help you loosen them."

I stare at him. Suspicious much? He's got something to hide too…just like the love fortune said….

WHAT AM I THINKING? I can't just go around thinking that I'm going to fall in love with every secretive boy…I don't like the "dark and mysterious" type.

"You really look like Nadeshiko," Amu gushes.

"Oh, Amu-chan. Uh, really?" Nagihiko asks—nervously, in my opinion.

"How is Nadeshiko? Is she coming back to visit?"

"So far she has no plans."

"Nadeshiko is studying abroad right now, but she was in Amu's class and her best friend," Yaya tells me. I frown. Time to practice my acting skills.

I tug on Amu's shirt. She turns around. "Rima?"

"I'm a Queen, too," I whisper, widening my eyes into huge puppy-dog ones. "And I'm in your class…" I look down. "But I'm not your best friend?" Tears spill onto the granite floor.

"Wait, no, umm…Rima…" Amu frantically says, waving her hands in her "oh no what am I going to do about this" gullible way.

Nagihiko points at me like a detective pointing at the criminal. "Those tears are FAKE!"

I wipe away my last tear and glare at him. "How can YOU tell?"

"I'm good at acting, too," Nagihiko smirks. He holds out his hand. "Anyways, nice to meet you…Rima-chan?"

I hide behind Amu. "No! Amu, you shouldn't be friends with this guy. I can't trust him!"

Nagihiko sticks out his tongue and runs his fingers through his hair.

Tadase smiles. "Okay then, we should start our Guardian meeting. I have something I need to tell everyone. There is someone who is collecting a large number of X-Eggs. Just like the Black Diamonds incident." He pauses. "I already know who it is. Tsukiyomi Ikuto." He takes a deep breath. "Last night, I went to the park. I found a bunch of X-Eggs there and Ikuto Tsukiyomi, who was Character Transformed into something I've never seen before. And he attacked me."

"So the injuries on your arm…" Nagihiko mutters.

"He caught me off guard," Tadase admits.

"There's no way! Ikuto was—" Amu stops herself.

"Amu-chan, do you know something?" Tadase asks. _Amu-chan? Since when has he started calling her that?_

"Uh…I…umm…do you have some sort of history with Ikuto? Because you always get overzealous every time he's involved."

Tadase gets a part nostalgic, part angry, and part betrayed look on his face. "That…"

"Okay, that's enough on that topic! Yaya doesn't like this atmosphere! By the way…I noticed that Tadase-kun called you Amu-chan. Did something happen over winter break?"

"Ummm….no….nothing…" Amu stammers.

"It's awfully fishy that you're stuttering," I point out.

"Sheesh!"

_Five minutes later_

"Okay, our first job is to shovel the snow in the Garden," Tadase proclaims. He turns to Amu. "Amu-chan, once we're done, let's walk home together."

Yaya and I start laughing. Nagihiko smiles. "There's love in the air!"

"You guys, shut up!" Amu yells.

I grin but manage to somewhat stifle my laughter. When I go and grab a shovel, I notice Nagihiko.

He's staring at me.


	12. Utau And Kukai Bond Over Ramen

** AMU'S BLOG**

** Welcome! You are the **109th **visitor**

**January 22nd**

** 5:03 p.m.**

I don't know why Tadase always gets so worked up about Ikuto. Must be something in their past. But to outright blame him for something he didn't do…that's taking it to a whole other level.

Ikuto couldn't have possibly been at the park last night. Because he was—and don't get the wrong idea here—in my room. In my bed. Sleeping.

At about five, when I was struggling over a problem in my science homework (we've just started chemistry—ugh), the doorbell rang. And then it rang again. And again. Whoever it was must've been way impatient.

Guess who it was. Hoshina Utau. Yep, the blond, pigtailed, stubborn, fourteen-year-old singer with a brother complex.

She'll kill me if she finds out I told you that. The brother complex part, I mean. And if she found out that Ikuto confessed to me last night—although he was obviously kidding—then she'll…Miki, what's a good threat that's worse than death?

Miki says a slow and sadistic death while being humiliated in front of the people you most want to impress. She also told me she is looking for volunteers for her project on reactions to pain.

Um, good luck with that.

Anyways, Mom and Ami were gushing over her and going all, "I can't believe you're friends with Utau!"

"I wouldn't call it friends," Utau smiled sardonically.

"Why are YOU here?" I asked, hoping my voice didn't sound as nervous as I felt.

"Why do YOU sound so nervous?" Utau scowled. Shoot. "Do you have something to hide?"

"Of course not!"

"I wanted to talk to you about Ikuto." She glowered at me. "I wonder where he is…I wonder if he's hiding here…"

I was just about to kneel on the ground and beg for mercy when she grinned. "Just kidding. I should stop my habit of imagining the worst-case scenario when it comes to Ikuto."

_Worst-case scenario=Ikuto living with me? _Well, THAT'S insulting. Not to mention she is seriously possessive. I mean, jealous of _me? _I turned twelve last September, and _he's _seventeen. Um, yeah, he's not way too old for me or anything. If she actually thinks he might fall in love with me or something…

I don't mean to sound hopeful or anything. Because I'm not. There's no way. And I'm happy that there's no way, because if there was…

Okay! SUBJECT CHANGE! Utau opened the door she had just walked in from five minutes earlier. "Amu, can I talk to you for a bit?"

"But I just got home from school…and I was doing my homework…"

"Whatever. Do your homework later. I need to talk to you."

"Fine," I grumbled, and followed after her.

It turns out she was dragging me to a RAMEN SHOP. A RAMEN SHOP. I don't know about you, but I always thought celebrities went to high-class restaurants with waiters in flashy uniforms and thick leatherbound menus with three pages dedicated just to the beverages. "A ramen shop?"

"Can't you tell?" Utau sneered.

"Well, yeah, that's not what I meant…"

I sat down at the counter, unsure of what to do. Utau looked at me. "What are you doing? You have to buy a ticket! Did you expect to eat for free?"

"Um…"

I ordered the same thing as Utau because I had no clue what to get. The only problem? Utau is a huge fan of spicy sauces. My eyes are still watering.

"Anyway, about Ikuto. I'm looking for him but I can't find him. There are some suspicioius-looking guys watching the house, so he hasn't gone there."

"Those suspicious-looking guys…do you have any idea who they are?" I ask, taking a bite of my noodles. I resist the urge to spit it all up and force myself to swallow it.

Utau shook her head. She then looked at me. "Are you crying? What the heck?"

I manage to grin, or so I think. Utau narrows her eyes at me. "What's with the grimace?"

"Nothing! Nothing!" I gasp.

"More noodles!" Utau calls.

"You're done already?" I choke.

"I can't believe you aren't."

"Well, I'm just not used to this!"

"If you aren't going to eat that, I am."

"What!"

"You can't waste food."

"Whatever, you can have the rest! I'm not really hungry anyways, I ate three of those muffins Nagihiko baked."

A few minutes later, Utau is finished and we go for a walk in the park. "Our father was Aruto Tsukiyomi. One of the best violinists in Japan," Utau starts. "And our mother is Soko Hoshina. She is the only daughter of the Hoshina family, the clan who founded Easter."

"Easter? I thought that was Jesus!" I gasped.

"Not the holiday, you idiot, the corporation! Anyways, he was a man with talent but still young with no status or fame. Of course the family was against it when their only daughter wanted to marry him. But the two still got married. With one condition."

"Con…dition?"

"A simple one. 'When the time comes, give up music and take over Easter.' But my father couldn't do it. He disappeared the night my grandfather, the former CEO of Easter, died. He took only his violin. My mother, Ikuto and I were treated coldly by the whole family.

"But still my mother believed in and waited for my father. We were chased from place to place…but I was okay as long as my mother and Ikuto were with me.

"But a few years later…my father's violin, and just the violin, was found overseas. That was the last straw for my mother's weak heart. She betrayed us. She remarried the executive director of Easter.

"My mother is weak. She's been under the control of my stepfather ever since. They make us work to make up for our father's sin."

"But…that has nothing to do with you guys!" I bursted out. "Isn't it unfair that you have to be responsible for what your parents did?"

"That is how the world works," Utau said cynically. "Kids who have no power like us, or weak people like my mother will be crushed by a larger power and no one will notice. Power is a scary thing. That's why I wanted it. Lots of it, so we wouldn't get crushed. I wanted to save Ikuto from this destiny." She had a determined look in her eye. "If I find the Embryo, I'm not going to give it to Easter. I decided that I was going to use it for Ikuto. But I found out…that I wasn't as strong as I thought.

"If I can't save myself, I can't save someone else. That's what I realized. _You _made me realize it."

"Uh, but I didn't do anything," I stammered.

"Oh, shut up and listen! It's annoying, but you have some weird power. People like that need to help other people. That's your responsibility. I know that. I want to change. That's why, if it's you, then I don't mind giving you the privilege of saving Ikuto."

_The privilege? _More like the burden. "Wait, what? Responsibility? Privilege?" I shrieked.

"What? Do you have a problem with it? You better be thankful. Honestly, the only person who can protect Ikuto is me."

"You can't decide that on your own!"

"Amu-chan?" I looked up.

"Tadase-kun! And Kukai." I blushed, remembering what Tadase had told me last night. Okay, _now _how was I supposed to act? "And uh, what are you doing?"

"Oh, I just, uh, went to a movie with Souma-kun."

"Why are both of your faces' brick red?" Kukai asked. He turned and saw Utau. "Oh, hey, the idol is here, too."

"You have a problem with that?" Utau snapped.

"What did you watch?" Ran asked.

"The 300 Promises with a Puppy!" Kiseki replied.

"Tadase was bawling the last thirty minutes. He loves dogs," Kukai grinned.

"It was so touching. I can't believe you fell asleep," Tadase smiled.

"I can't believe you _didn't_. But hey, when did you guys get so friendly?" Kukai asked, turning to Utau and me.

"We're not friendly. We just had pork bone ramen," Utau rolled her eyes.

"Hee hee, an idol eating pork bone ramen?"

"What? Is that wrong?"

"No, not at all! I love ramen, too!"

Utau looked at him, challenge in her eyes. "Do you know about the new store near the station? If you take the super-large ramen challenge and finish it, it's free!"

"Are you saying you want to try it with me? Ooh, you're so feisty. You are SO on."

"WHAAAAT? UTAU? YOU'RE GOING TO EAT MORE!" I yelled, but she was already running away with Kukai on her heels.

"I guess they get along," Tadase sweatdropped.

"Yeah…"

"I'm happy you accepted my feelings," Tadase said suddenly, blushing. "So…um…it's not like I want to start a relationship or cause you any trouble. That wouldn't be fair to Sanjo-kun, who told you how he felt before me."

"Oh…well…okay…"

"YOU PLAYER!" El yelled.

"El?"

"I came over because I felt love in the air…but you're too lovey-dovey for an elementary school student!"

"El, he didn't even do anything—" I began.

"You player prince!"

Suddenly, music began playing. Ran twisted around. "Amu-chan, there are people with empty hearts!"

"What's that music? Sounds like a guitar," I observed.

"No, a violin. It's the A chord of a violin."

_A violin? Could it be…_

"I know that sound…from when I was young."

"It's not Utau-chan! She's still eating ramen!" El squealed.

Tadase continued. "If he is behind this…I won't forgive him."

I didn't have to ask to know who he was talking about. Usually Tadase is so kind, but when it comes to Ikuto, he has fire in his eyes. Ikuto and Tadase-kun…what's going on between them?

It's dinner, even though I'm not hungry because of the ramen. I'll update later.

**6:31 p.m.**

Shoot. I made Ikuto take a shower, but Mom caught us. She lectured us for like five minutes, and is now booking him a room at a hotel. Luckily Dad wasn't home, or else he would've had a fit.

"Amu-chan, you have a guest. It's the boy from the other day. I'm sending him up," Mom calls.

I rush out of my bedroom, but it's too late. He's already seen Ikuto.

"Ikuto…Tsukiyomi…what are you doing here?" Tadase asks shakily.

"…I've been staying in her room."

Tadase turns around and sees me. "What's going on, Amu-chan?"

"Um, there are reasons for this, and…" I stumble.

"For how long?" he asks stonily.

"The whole time. Even when you came over three days ago," Ikuto answers for me. "'Can I fall in love with you?' For a spoiled brat…it was a passionate confession."

Tadase looks at the ground, blushing.

"Ikuto, why are you…Tadase-kun, it's…" I shout, tripping over my words.

"You know, Amu-chan?" Tadase whispers.

"Why...Tadase-kun…" I mumble. His expression is so pitiful, I want to stab myself. I've never hurt someone so badly…

He turns and flees, dashing down the stairs and out the door. That leaves Ikuto. I spin on him. "Idiot! Why did you…? You're horrible, Ikuto! Why did you say such things? I don't want to see your face! You can just…just…just go anywhere!"

He stares back at me, his face emotionless. I push past him and run out the door. I have to find Tadase.

**6:58 p.m.**

I'm out of breath and still haven't found him. _Why! I hurt him! For the first time, I hurt someone so much…he promised to not hide anything from him, but I did…I lied…I'm horrible._

Ran turns around. "Yoru?"

"What the heck? I thought you left," I snap.

"Ikuto, it's Ikuto!" Yoru meows frantically. "I can only rely on you."

"I don't want to have anything to do with—"

"If we don't do something, Ikuto will die! Amu!"

**Comments**

**iluvutauh2 **says:

I can't believe you're friends with Utau Hoshina! That's so cool!

_**Amu **__replies:_

It's not as cool as it seems, and it gets exhausting, trust me. I have no clue where all her energy comes from. Must be all that ramen she eats.

**UtauHoshina **says:

Amu. Hinamori. I. Will. Rip. Your. Throat. Out.

_**Amu **__replies:_

Shoot. How'd she find my blog so fast?

**Emo. **says:

I'll volunteer for Miki's experiment!


	13. Purple Really Doesn't Suit Ikuto

**MIKI**

"If we don't do something, Ikuto will die! Amu! It's all because of that strange purple violin!"

"What happened, Yoru?" Ran asks.

"Start at the beginning," I instruct.

"I thought we'd get kicked out if Amu found out, so I kept it a secret, but last night, I heard a funny noise, so I woke up. Ikuto was walking out of the room, holding a purple violin. A black egg came from the violin when he plucked one of the strings."

"A black Guardian egg?" I frown.

"Not an X-egg?" Su questions.

"Yeah! And then that Egg and Ikuto Character Transformed into something I've never seen before and left the house. Ikuto becomes weird when he holds the purple violin. Like he's controlled. And he turns really pale, like his energy is being sucked out. Unless we do something, the violin will kill him! I chased after him, but Ikuto was fighting with the kiddie king…so I…"

"So that's why he said terrible things?" Amu asks coldly. "To Tadase-kun?"

"Those weren't Ikuto's true feelings," Yoru meows.

"I don't believe that," Amu states.

"Amu-chan!" I yell, somewhat appalled.

"Amu-cha, Yoru isn't lying," Ran coaxes.

"Let's help him," Su declares.

"Why is it always me? Right now I want to focus on apologizing to Tadase-kun. But I always have to be saving someone. I have things to take care of for myself! I wish people would stop coming to me for help!" Amu shouts. Turning around, she dashes off.

"Come on let's GO!" Ran flies off after her.

**10 minutes later**

She's still running, but I'm so exhausted. Luckily some boy has just tugged on her shirt, so I have a moment to catch my breath.

"Huh?" Amu looks at the kid. "Oh, you're that boy from the other day. What's wrong? Lost again?"

"Taiyaki…" the boy mumbles.

"Hmm?"

"A taiyaki's ingredients are egg, flour, water, red beans, and sugar. There is too much sugar and carbohydrates. It is food with too much unnecessary stuff."

"What are you—"

"I looked it up. So I figured that snacks are unnecessary. Something I don't need."

Su rushes up to us. "You guys left me behind!"

Amu looks at Su. "Um…."

She looked at the empty street. "He's gone. "

**21 minutes later**

"I know I was taking my anger out on Ikuto. It's not his fault. I'm not prepared like Nagihiko said. I just don't want to be hated. It was a dumb lie," Amu mutters, curled up on the bed. "It's just like what Mom said. I was hiding it because I didn't trust him. I didn't trust Tadase-kun. I decided to trust Ikuto, but in the end I hurt them both." She buries her head in her knees.

"Amu-chan…" Su whimpers.

Ran is silent for a moment. She grabs one of her pom-poms and aims it at Amu. Amu sits up, startled. "WHOA!"

"Depression time is over! It's time to be cheerful!" Ran shouts.

"Ran?" Amu queries.

"You're going to be taken over by your negative heart! You have to remember your good qualities!" Ran continues.

"Your good qualities…you're stubborn but straightforward," I offer.

"You're defiant but like to help those in need," Su squeals.

"Are you praising me or insulting me?"

"PRAISING!" I shriek, annoyed.

"No matter what happens…" Ran starts.

"…we are here for you, Amu-chan!" I finish.

"We like you a lot, Amu-chan!" Su says.

"If you mess up, you just have to start over!"

"If you do something bad, you just have to apologize!"

"Don't worry, your Guardian Characters are here!"

"So everything will be okay!" all three of us assert in unison. Cool, we didn't even plan that.

Alternative music begins to play. Amu shuffles around for her cell phone. "It's a test message from Utau."

_**I'm here is Hawaii to film a promotional video. I'm working hard. Until I return, I'm leaving Ikuto to you. As a friend.**_

Amu stares at her phone. Then she looks at Ran. "You know what to do."

"Unlock my heart! Amulet Heart!"

We find Yoru on a telephone pole, sobbing. "What should I do…."

"There you are, Yoru!" Amulet Heart yells. "Sorry to make you wait! Let's go."

Ikuto is Character Transformed into something I haven't seen before. "That's Death Rebel," a voice comes from behind us.

Amulet Heart spins around. "Platinum Royal!" She immediately looks at the ground. "I…I'm…"

"Let's not worry about that now."

Amulet Heart bites her lip. "This is the amusement park…." _The place she shared with Ikuto. _But of course she can't tell Platinum Royal that.

"We'll talk later. For now, we have to work together to help the X-eggs."

"Oh…okay!" Amulet Heart yells. "Spiral Heart!"

Death Rebel takes his weapon and throws it at Platinum Royal. Platinum Royal blocks with his scepter. "Ikuto…Tsukiyomi…I still can't forgive you for what happened two years ago. But…you've never looked at me…with hatred. But rather…with sadness. I want to know the truth, Ikuto nii-san…No, Ikuto Tsukiyomi!"

Death Rebel paused. "No…."

"Ikuto, what are you doing?" A man with sunglasses walks forward. "We don't have enough X-eggs yet to lure the Embryo. If the kids are in your way, defeat them!"

"Who is that?" Amulet Heart asks.

"He's an executive at the Easter Corporation. Kazuomi Hoshina. He's also Ikuto's stepfather," Platinum Royal answers.

"Let's tune you a bit," Kazuomi sneers, and holds up a violin tuner.

"He's controlling Ikuto using that!" Amulet Heart screams.

"How cowardly…" Platinum Royal mutters.

"Cowardly? As you can see, Ikuto is happily working for Easter."

"Only a fool would think that!" Platinum Royal yells.

Kazuomi scowls. "Are you calling me a fool? Ikuto wants to work for Easter."

"Lies! I believe Ikuto!" Amulet Heart shouts.

"Believe?" Kazuomi chuckles.

"That's right! That's why I'm going to save him!"

"This is why kids are such trouble! Always naively befriending each other. Believing has no value! It's something you don't need!"

"That's not true!" Amulet Heart shrieks, and both she and Platinum Royal hold out their weapons. A bright light surrounds them, and I can tell they're purifying the X-eggs surround Death Rebel.

"You can live without it…but your heart will be malnourished. The feelings of believing and caring are like a snack. If you only have that, you'll be spoiled and get fat. But it is food that is important for the heart. It's an important, beautiful treasure." Amulet Heart looks at the sky. "Huh? The Embryo?"

"The Embryo? Where is it?" Kazuomi yells.

"I don't know, sir!" One of his bodyguards answers, squinting his eyes.

"They can't see it?" Platinum Royal mutters.

"Fail," I agree.

"Don't let the kids get it!" Kazuomi orders. "Do everything you can to get it first!"

Amulet Heart jumps up to reach it, but the Embryo disappears in a flood of light. She falls, and Platinum Royal catches her.

"Darn! We lost it! Let's go! Bring the useless one, too!" Kazuomi growls, strolling back to the van.

Amulet Heart changed back into Amu. "Shoot, those Easter guys are getting away! Ikuto! No….he's still controlled by the violin…what should we do? If we don't do something fast, he's…"

"Calm down," Tadase says, offering Amu his hand. "It's okay. Let's think about this together. Can you stand?"

Amu nods. "Um, Tadase-kun…I'm so sorry! You said that you wouldn't keep anything from me…but I was lying to you about how Ikuto's been at my house. I'm sorry!"

Tadase smiles. "No. It's okay. I'm also sorry for running out like that. I'm all right now. That's why…we should shake hands to make it up. Okay?"

They shake.

"This park is where our families always used to come. My family and Ikuto's family."

"Huh? Your families used to be friends?"

"Yeah. I'll finally tell you…about what happened between Ikuto and me. I should tell all of you."

Okay, I've got to hear about _that_.

_Please review ^_^. _


	14. Nagihiko Is Way Too Overprotective

_I've been noticing that it's been getting more centered around Amu too. But this chapter is about Rima and Nagihiko, yay. Sorry for the um, ….Amuism? Amuish chapters?_

**RIMA'S DIARY**

_January 23__rd_

Today I arrived at the Royal Garden early so I could water the flowers without having to fight over the watering can with Yaya. Yep, Tadase lost the watering can in one unfortunate Character Change while in the middle of watering the rhododendrons. I swear I didn't say "prince" on purpose. It just slipped out.

Yeah, right. Of course I said it on purpose.

But anyways, I wasn't the first to arrive. Guess who else was there, doing his homework. The new Jack. The suspicious one. Nagihiko Fujisaki, twin of Nadeshiko Fujisaki.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Why so hostile?" Nagihiko smiled at me.

"Your smile is about as fake as my tears," I retorted.

"Fine, you caught me," Nagihiko scowled.

I rolled my eyes. "You don't have a Guardian Character, only a Guardian Egg."

"Didn't I tell you that _yesterday? _Wow, you sure catch on slow."

"Shut up! That's not what I meant! Why …are…you…the….Jack?"

"Because…because a Guardian Egg is better than nothing. And I guess…the Guardians need as many people as possible, since Easter now knows about the Embryo…" Nagihiko said quietly.

"Well, when is it going to hatch?"

"I don't know," he said tensely. "How would I know?"

I scowled, since I didn't have an answer to that.

"Don't ruin your cute face like that."

"Shut up. I'll do whatever I want."

Nagihiko raised his eyebrows. "Really."

"Yes, really—"

"Mashiro, watch out!" Nagihiko suddenly yelled, and dived to protect me.

"What—" I sputtered. And then I see it. An X-character, aiming strange black disks at me.

"My own heart, unlock!" I shrieked. "Clown Drop!"

Nagihiko grabbed my hand. "Let's go!" He dragged me under the table, which offered some protection.

"What are you doing? I have to go—"

"What can you do against that?"

"Tightrope Dancer might work—"

"Yes, but can you purify it? No, we have to wait until Amu gets here!"

I scowled again, because I hate it when people are right. Especially him, because even though I only met him 24 hours ago, he's already getting on my nerves.

"Don't ruin your cute face like that."

"Listen, I'm still Character Transformed, and Juggling Party could probably give you a lot of bruises—"

"I get the idea! I get the idea!"

The X-character said something in a different language and began hurling streams of black energy at us. Nagihiko threw himself on top of me.

"What are you doing? You're so heavy!"

"I'm trying to protect you and this is the thanks I get?"

"I can defend myself! You're the one who can't even Character Change!"

Nagihiko opened his mouth to reply (something sarcastic by the looks of it) but he suddenly went slack. He had taken a direct hit to the neck.

"Nagihiko!" I shouted. "Nagihiko, wake up!" I shoved him off of me and stood up. "Juggling…Party!" Ropes shot out and wound themselves around the X-character. But what was I going to do now? I had no choice besides waiting for Amu to come purify it, but I was—and I'll never admit this—worried about Nagihiko. Sure, he was cynical and way annoying, but he was still a Guardian. Still one of my friends.

Utau ran into the Garden. I turned around. "Oh, Amu, thank God you're here—you aren't Amu!"

"Yeah, genius, I'm not," Utau agreed.

"Utau! What are you doing here!"

"I need to talk to Amu and Tadase about Ikuto," she scowled.

"Well, could you Character Transform into Seraphic Charm first and help me?"

"I guess, since I'm already here and I don't have anything to do," she grudgingly said. "My own heart, unlock! Seraphic Charm!"

"You always Character Transform with El!" Il whined.

"Hurry! I can't hold on to these ropes much longer!" I begged. My arms were getting sore and my feet hurt.

"Okay! Angel's Cradle!"

Music poured out of Seraphic Charm. The X-character yawned, fell asleep, went back into the X-egg, and then became a Heart's Egg.

I changed back into just Rima and rushed to Nagihiko. "Nagihiko, Nagihiko! Are you okay?"

El smirked at me. "I see love on the horizon!"

"Oh, shut up! Fall in love with HIM? Who are you kidding?" I shrieked.

"Your face is red," Utau told me.

"Is not!"

"Yeah, it is. It's like as red as Utau's dress when she Character Transforms with me. Which, I might add, hasn't happened for a while," Il glared pointedly at Utau.

"I'll Transform with you next time," Utau grumbled. Her cell phone began ringing. "Ugh, I have to go. And I didn't even get to rip Amu's throat out yet."

"What a pity," I said sarcastically.

When Utau left, I ran back to Nagihiko. "What am I going to do?" I grabbed the teapot and emptied it on him.

He opened one eye. "Red tea…Rima? What happened?"

"You threw yourself on top of me and then the X-character shot that strange energy stream at your neck and you fainted so then Utau came and turned into Seraphic Charm and purified the eggs and then I poured tea all over you."

"Run-on sentence much? If you want, I can tutor you after school on proper use of grammar. Haha, then I'd get to spend even more time annoying you!" Nagihiko smiled sadistically.

"My grammar usually isn't that bad. I was just—" I stopped myself. There's no way I'm telling him how nervous I was.

"You were just what?"

"Forget it. Hey, could we not tell the others about this? Amu and Yaya will get the wrong idea…"

Nagihiko cringed. "Um, yeah, I was thinking the same thing."

Amu's just run in. "Hey Rima! Hey Nagihiko! You guys are here early!"

"Uh, yeah…" we laugh nervously.

Yaya makes a mad dash for the snacks on the table. "Nagi, did you make these sugar cookies! They taste just like Nadeshiko-chi's!"

"Um, that would make sense, because we were both taught by our mother when it came to cooking…" Nagihiko smiles. But like him, I am good at acting, and I know a fake smile when I see one. But why would he feel the need to have a forced smile…? God, this new Jack is suspicious.

Yaya jiggles the empty teapot. "But there's no tea! And Tadase assured Yaya today there was going to be red tea—Yaya's favorite!"

"I guess he was mistaken," Nagihiko shrugs.

Tadase walks in. "But I'm sure I made that tea this morning and set it on the table!"

"Maybe someone stole it! This is a mystery!" Yaya yells.

"I'm sure no one stole it," Nagihiko says.

"You have a better explanation? Because of course the tea would've just walked away by itself," Amu says.

I sigh. "It's just tea. Tadase can make more tomorrow. What's the big deal?"

"I woke up early to make that tea," Tadase sulks.

"Anyways, everyone, Tadase needs to tell us something," Amu announces.

"I do?"

"Yes!"

"Darn, I was hoping you'd forget."

"You aren't backing out of it now…"

Nagihiko walks up to Tadase and pinches his ear. "I'm very interested in what Hotori has to say, so I'd appreciate it if he stopped stuttering and got to the point."

"I don't care what you appreciate!" Tadase Character Changes with Kiseki. "THE ONLY PERSON EVERYONE SHOULD CARE ABOUT IS THE MIGHTY KING! ME! MWUAHAHAHAHA!"

"Is it just me, or is his Character Change getting more selfish?" Amu mutters.

"Actually, he's always been this selfish when he Character Changes, he just doesn't show it," Nagihiko answers.

"You've known him for maybe two days. How would you know?" I ask suspiciously.

"Ah, the painful duties of a Jack…" Nagihiko mumbles, sighing.

Tadase glares at him. "YOU SHOULD BE HONORED YOU SERVE ME!"

"If the definition of honored is equivalent to irritated, then yes, I am very honored I serve you."

Yaya looks at them. "Yaya is confused!"

"You don't really want to know," Nagihiko responds.

"I'm sure I don't," I say.

Amu looks at the empty teapot. "It's a pity we don't have any tea left…now who knows how long it'll take Tadase to change back…"

Yaya pulls up the garden hose. "Leave this to Yaya!" She aims the nozzle at Tadase, but ends up soaking Amu and I. Luckily, part of the spray hit Tadase, who changed back, so I didn't get wet for nothing.

"Tadase! Tell us your story!" Amu commands.

"Fine. I guess I couldn't put it off forever." Tadase shakes his wet hair out of his face. "Basically…"


	15. I Am Forced Into A Beauty Pageant

Tadase pauses. Then clears his throat. Then clears it again.

"Hurry up already and stop stalling," I snap.

Tadase glares at me. "I wasn't stalling. You just ruined the dramatic effect."

"Just begin!"

"Okay…a long time ago, when I was small, my family and Ikuto's family were close. We used to get together a lot. My father, Yui Hotori, and Ikuto's father, Aruto Tsukiyomi, were best friends. And my father had known Ikuto's mother, Soko-san, since college.

"Aruto-san and Soko-san married and Ikuto and Utau-chan were born. My father married my mother through an arranged marriage, and I was born. Even after they married, my father and Aruto-san remained close friends. Back then, everyone was happy and there were no problems.

"But then, one day…my father gave me a key. The Dumpty Key. I was still small and didn't understand what was going on—that Aruto-san had disappeared. But I was able to figure out that something had drastically changed. And the happy days were over.

"Ikuto and Utau-chan came to live with us. At the time, I was happy. Ikuto was always quiet, even if he was misunderstood. He always looked out for us. We were always playing together. We didn't know what the situation was with our parents.

"Sometimes we would ask him to play the violin for us. He would have a kind face every time he played it. I liked it. But then…Mother yelled at him to stop. Saying it was cursed. I didn't understand why she would say such things. It was such a pretty sound. How could it bring bad luck?

"One day, Ikuto just abruptly left, with an adult's violin strapped to his back. I didn't see him again until I was nine. That day…I had just come back from school when I heard it. The sound of his violin. But he was playing in front of Betty, my dog, and my grandmother. They were both collapsed on the floor. He never explained what had happened to them…and he left with my Dumpty Key. Betty died that day, and my grandmother never was the same.

"Staying quiet is the same as running away. If it wasn't his fault, he should explain. I want to know the truth."

Nagihiko looks at the ground. "That's true. But I can see the black cat's point of view, too. If explaining is going to hurt people more…well, hurting people is scary."

Amu is silently tearing up. I look at her, startled. "Amu?"

"I'm so sad. Hating someone, accusing them…it's painful and sad. But when I lied and hurt Tadase-kun, I understood that hurting someone hurt's you, too. If the ominous black cat is hurting people on purpose and trying to get others to hate him…then I wonder how much pain Ikuto's heart must be in."

I stare into my lap. The truth can hurt…but lies are worse. I've never been lied to…but I hate the truth….that my parents are always arguing but there's nothing I can do… I don't want to fight Ikuto. Not really. Not after this.

Yaya screeches, "STOP THIS!"

"Huh?"

"How long are you all going to be so serious? Besides, crying is my thing! Stop taking my character!"

"Yaya?" Amu gasps.

"She Character Changed!" Kusukusu points out.

"THAT'S IT! NO MORE CRYING!"

She begins stomping on the ground.

"Wow…." Amu mutters.

"It's amazing!" Su chirps.

"She's stomping so fast," Miki sighs.

"She's in crybaby mode," Ran says.

"Amu-chi!" Yaya grabs Amu's shoulders. "You're a main character type! You have four Guardian Eggs and can Character Transform into many different characters! Main characters are the type who blow past all this crying stuff! All the main characters in my favorite manga and anime are like that! Just kick the butts of those bad guys! We can rescue anyone who's been caught and everyone can make up! Everyone can work together for a happy ending!"

Amu grins. "Okay! Let's save Ikuto! And everyone…can be happy!"

I sweatdrop. "You sound so corny…" _And I don't think your plan will work, at least not for me. Unless you somehow get my parents to stop fighting. _

_2 hours later_

Amu started asking how we were going to save Ikuto. Tadase suggested we ask the superintendent. I won't go into the details of how we found him. I twisted my ankle falling into a trapdoor, though. But that's all I'm going to say.

The superintendent told us to check out all of the Easter-related music studios in the city. Well, that narrowed it down. But it's still already been about two hours and we haven't found Ikuto.

So Nikaidou-sensei is driving us around—I blackmailed him (someone was caught making out with Kairi's sister the other day). "This is the 20th Easter-related music studio I've taken you kids to. Why don't you just give up?"

"Actually, sir, it's the 21st," Nagihiko corrects.

Yoru puts his face up against the backseat window. "This is the place! I can feel it!"

I squint. "Television Eastern Region?" There's a TV signal tower at the top.

Yaya grins. "Let's go, everyone! All of us, Character Transformation!"

_Like five minutes later, but annoying Nagihiko who's reading over my shoulder says it was only 3 minutes and 42 seconds_

NAGIHIKO, STOP READING OVER MY SHOULDER.

"Fine," he grumbles. "But I'm bored."

"Because you don't have a Guardian Character to Transform with," I retort.

"Why are you always so fixated on that?"

"Because you're not fit to be a Guardian!"

"Wait, why are we Character Transforming?" Amulet Heart asks.

"Nikaidou-sensei was making out with Yukari-san?" Nagihiko asks under his breath.

"Stop reading over my shoulder!" I hiss.

"We're going to break in in disguise!" Dear Baby answers Amulet Heart's question. "Look, the entrance is being watched by a guard. If we go in as ourselves, they'll throw us out. The TV studio has so many people dressed funny. They'll think it's a costume contest!"

"I don't know about that…." Miki sweatdrops.

"I'll charm the guard with an awesome cheer!" Amulet Heart declares, and rushes to the guard. "Good morning!"

"Um, it's like six p.m…." I point out.

"Fine, then. Good evening!"

The guard tosses Amulet Heart and Dear Baby roughly down the steps. "Hey look, more fans doing cosplay."

"Cosplay?" Amulet Heart mutters. "Well, I guess it was a long shot."

"Definitely a long shot," Nagihiko agrees.

"Miki, Transform with me!" Amulet Spade turns to the guard. "How about this? We present a calligraphy artist!"

"A cute and superb juggler!" Nagihiko yells, pushing me forward. I glare at him and begin juggling my bowling pins.

"A stomping cryba—I mean dancer!" Platinum Royal points at Dear Baby on the ground.

"Whatever," the guard mutters.

I turn and see some workmen carrying a sign with the words "TV Grandprix Cooking Contest" painted in neon on it. One of them sees me and whistles. Creep, I'm probably like thirty years younger than him.

"Amu, Character Change with Su," I mumble to her.

"Huh? Why?"

"There's a cooking contest. We'll pretend to be your friends."

"Hey, are you saying you guys aren't my friends—"

"No, just do it!"

We go to a different entrance so the guard won't recognize us. "Our friend is in the cooking contest," Yaya states.

"We're here to cheer her on," Tadase says in a monotone. He so needs to work on his acting skills. I'm making him sign up for Drama Club next year.

"Charismatic grade school chef…Amu Hinamori!" Nagihiko grins.

Amu smiles. "I hope you enjoy my miracle recipe!" She begins throwing knives around, mincing and chopping. She winks. "But the most important ingredient…is LOVE."

OKAY, I AM SO TEASING HER ABOUT THAT LATER.

The guard is apparently charmed. "You are definitely for real! Go ahead!"

"Yay!" Amu smiles sweetly.

"No way," Nagihiko and I say at the same time.

We walk in the enormous studio. "This is pretty cool," Amu says.

Some burly man walks up to me. "Little girl! You'd be so prefect for this!"

"For what?" I ask in a surly tone, but he ignores me. Grabbing me by the collar, he drags me to a door and shoves me through it.

"Welcome to the 38th National Junior Beauty Pageant!" A twenty-something lady in a blue dress with too much lipstick greets the audience. "And this is entry number 25!"

"How cute!"

"She's an angel!"

"Number 25….uh, what's your name?" A microphone is shoved under my chin.

"I'm not telling," I snarl.

Amu slams open the door to the stage. "Heeeeyy!"

I look at her. "Oh, Amu, you should participate in this contest too."

"What! Are! You! Doing!"

"They just took me."

"Rima, you're such a…"

We exit the stage, ignoring the protests.

"Oh! There you are!" Tadase says.

"I think this locked door might be a clue!" Yaya tells us, yanking on the doorknob. It gives way and she falls onto the stage.

"Good! The last team is here—Team Yellow!" Someone announces and motions for us to come forward. He frowns at us, because obviously we weren't who he was expecting. "This is our youngest team! These kids, ranging from first graders—" he waves at me. I scowl. _First grader? _"—to seventh graders," he points at Nagihiko, the tallest, "will be competing against these college students for the grand prize of 100,000,000 yen! Get into your spots, Team Yellow! And now we'll begin!"

I plop into a seat at the very end, next to Amu. "First question! What is 2+2?"

All the other teams frown and begin scribbling on their scratch papers. Nagihiko smirks and slams down on the buzzer. "4!"

Amu sighs. "Are you sure these are college students? Because they have the intelligence level of slugs."

"A point goes to Team Yellow!" All the other teams glare at us.

"Next question! Who was the emperor of Japan when World War 2 ended?"

I sigh. Listening to Kairi drone on about the history of Japan finally paid off. I press the buzzer. "Emperor Hirohito!"

"Another point to Team Yellow! Question three! What are the primary colors?"

We all stare at each other, clueless. Miki is scowling so Amu Character Changes with her. "Red, yellow, blue!"

Miki rolls her eyes at us. "Can't believe you guys didn't know that."

"Team Yellow is soaring past the other teams! Next question! Who is my favorite singer?"

"What kind of question is that?" Nagihiko mutters.

Amu shrugs. "I'm just going to take a wild guess." She bangs on the buzzer. "Um, Utau Hoshina?"

"Yes! Another point to Team Yellow!"

A girl with straight chin-length brown hair and thick glasses from Team Red glowers at us. "You must be so stalkerish to know that. Or did you get a copy of the answers beforehand?" She raises her hand. "Objection: Team Yellow is cheating! They got a copy of the answers!"

"No, we didn't!" Yaya shrieks in indignation.

"Team Yellow is disqualified! Please leave the stage!" The announcers booms at us. He shook his head. "It happens every year!"

The girl smirks at us. "Ha."

Tadase sighs. "At least we got out of there. We're on a mission, remember?"

"Oh yeah…" I mumble.

"Hey! You kids were fake!" Security guards yell. We turn and I see that they're running towards us.

"Shoot, they found out?" Amu shouts.

"Apparently so," Tadase responds.

"Wait a minute!" a voice booms. "These kids are friends of mine!"

I whip my head around. "Hey, isn't she that weird fortune teller from TV?"

"These kids are friends of Nobuko Saeki!"

I raise my eyebrows at Amu. "How do we know her?"

"Oh yeah, long story, back in 5th grade…"

"I remem—I mean, Nadeshiko told me about that," Nagihiko says. I look at him. I could've sworn he was about to say "I remember," but hadn't he been in Europe at that time?

Well, well. I'm not the only one hiding something here.

Back in Nobuko's dressing room, we relax. "Thanks!" Yaya squeals.

"No problem. By the way, what are you looking for, coming all the way here?"

"Huh? How did you know?" Amu asks.

"Of course I knew. I'm a fortune teller. Did you think I was a fake?"

"Yes," I offer. Nobuko glares at me.

"Well, I'm not. So what are you kids looking for?" She looks at Amu. "You want to help someone, don't you? Someone important?"

Tadase holds up Yoru. "We're looking for his owner." Yoru attempts to look as cute and pitiful as possible.

It doesn't work.

Nobuko smiles at Tadase. "Oh cutie boy, you grew a bit."

"Yeah, I had a growth spurt over the summer."

"Hmm…." She holds Yoru up to her face. "A tall tower…is this…a violin? I hear a sad melody."

Amu swallows. "It's Ikuto! A high tower…could it be the TV signal tower?"

Kiseki nods. "Okay, let's go."

"Wait!" Nobuko puts out her hand. "The signal tower is off-limits. You cannot get there from the inside. Take the emergency exit and take the stairs outside. If someone tries to stop you, say this…'Do you know who I'm friends with? Nobuko Saeki!"

I sweatdrop. "I doubt that'll help…."

Amu shoots me a _shut-up-she's-just-trying-to-help-and-you're-being-really-ungrateful-about-the-whole-thing_ look. "Thanks, Nobuko-sensei!"

I sigh and follow after Tadase, Amu, and Yaya. But then I hear Nobuko say something. Not to me, but to Nagihiko.

"Good-bye, and thank you," Nagihiko says, bowing.

"Oh? You…were a girl last time I saw you," Nobuko says airily.

NO WAY.

"Huh? That's my twin sister…" Nagihiko stammers.

"Hmph. Who do you think I am? Even if you change your appearance, you cannot fool me. I feel the same guardian spirit. The same one as the girl with the ponytail I met before."

Oh. THAT EXPLAINS EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING. Why he always acts so strange, and is always correcting himself and…

THAT MEANS HE'S WORN A SKIRT BEFORE. A SKIRT.

CROSS-DRESSER!

I resist the urge to vomit and so I back away from the door like it's radioactive. I don't think I'll ever be able to look at Nagihiko again without remembering that he'd cross-dressed before.

Amu looks back at me. "Rima," she turns to Nagihiko, who's just coming out of the door, "Nagi, let's go!"

We run outside and jump onto the first flight of stairs. But by the second flight I'm gasping for breath, and there are still two more flights to go before we reach the first level.

I practically crawl over the third flight, but on the last flight, I give up. Yaya, from the top of the stairs waiting with the other Guardians, calls down to me. "Rima-tan!"

Nagihiko looks at the others. "You guys go on ahead. I'll help her, and then we can purify the X-eggs that are on this level."

WHAT? I NEVER CONSENTED TO WORK WITH HIM!

He dashes down the stairs and offers me a hand. "Rima-chan, you okay?"

I glare at him. "Liar. I don't hold hands with liars."

"Wh-what are you talking about?"

"I heard your conversation with Nobuko-san."

Nagihiko is silent for a moment. Then he nods, and pulls out two eggs—the blue one I'd seen before, and a matching pink one. "You're right. I am the former Queen. But could you keep it a secret a little while longer?


	16. I Extremely Dislike Basketball

Oh. My. Gosh.

I didn't expect him to admit it.

"I'm hoping we can still be friends, Rima-chan."

"Don't call me that!"

"Fine, then, Mashiro-san. But you were okay with it before I admitted my past…it's still the same me, Ri—I mean, Mashiro-san."

"Yes, but I hadn't known that you were a—a CROSS-DRESSER a few minutes ago." I narrow my eyes at him. "Or are you a girl posing as a boy?"

"Definitely not that…." Nagihiko sweatdrops. He looks down at the ground. "I know I've said this before, but we should still be friends. It'd be better for the Guardians if we at least somewhat trusted each other—"

"How could I trust you after this?"

Nagihiko looks at me sadly. "That's what I'd thought you'd say. What Amu and Yaya would say. And perhaps I'm a coward for this, but I'm scared. I can't tell them. It wasn't my choice, you know. And it was painful sometimes."

Usually I'm no sucker for this kind of stuff, but I feel sorry for Nagihiko. Maybe because I can see from his point of view.

I swallow. "We should get going."

"Right," Nagihiko mumbles. "You haven't forgiven me, have you?"

"Of course not."

He sighs loudly. "You better Character Transform." I can tell he's upset, but I can't break my outer mask of a distrusting ice queen, and I honestly can't trust him. Maybe in a few months, or even only weeks it'll be different.

I nod. "My own heart, unlock! Clown Drop!"

Suddenly, a basketball came shooting out of nowhere. I glare accusingly at Nagihiko. "At a time like this, you brought a _basketball?"_

He holds up his hand. "Wasn't me."

"Then who could it be?"

"I don't know…maybe _her_?" Nagihiko pointed to a girl on the ground.

"Oh my gosh, did she faint?"

"No, moron, her Heart's Egg turned into an X-egg."

"Hmmmph, I guess that makes sense."

"Of course it does. Anyways, look!" Nagihiko points at an X-character.

The X-character shouts, "Offense! Defense! Dribble and shoot!"

"Um, what the heck?" I ask.

"I'll take care of this. I'm good with basketball and girls." He pales. "Not like that, I don't mean I'm a playboy, it's just—"

"Hurry up already!"

"Fine, fine!"

"Come on, come on, I can take you! Slam dunk!" The X-character grabs a mini basketball.

"I hate basketball," I groan.

Nagihiko winks. "Then you can check out my moves. Watch my Eggs for me, okay?"

"Doesn't seem like I really have a choice."

Nagihiko rolls his eyes at me and steals the basketball from the X-character. "Let's go!" He dribbles it around his legs. It was almost as if…

As if he was dancing.

Nagihiko grins at the X-character. "Looks like I'm better at one-on-one. What are you going to do now?"

The X-character frowns and divides into three. Nagihiko gasps. "It divided?"

"It's because you challenged him," I say. Boys and their stupid pride issues.

"It's three-on-three!" The X-characters chant.

"Three? But we only have two!"

"And I'm not playing," I remind him.

"Oh yes you are!"

"What? But…but…." I rack my mind for an excuse. "Who'll look after your Guardian Eggs?"

"You're getting nowhere with that excuse."

An X-egg floats up and starts circling rapidly. "I guess that's the hoop," Nagihiko says. "We can't lose this one."

"Um, sure…." I mumble, because I'm not sure if I'll be able to do this. "Here, I'll back you up. You go for the basket!"

"Okay!"

I jump up and catch the basketball, passing it to Nagihiko. Nagihiko grabs it and dribbles it closer to the basket, leaping up and dunking it.

"One point goes to the Rimahiko team," Nagihiko smirks. I look at him.

"Wait, what did you just call us?"

Nagihiko blushes. "Well, I just thought, since our two names combined create Rimahiko…."

I scowl. "Do you realize what that sounds like?"

"No, what?"

"It makes it sound like we're AN ITEM, YOU INNOCENT KID."

"Oh…." Nagihiko's face became even redder. "Hey, I'm not a kid, I'm taller than you! And probably older, too! You're still eleven, aren't you?"

"Yes, but my birthday is in less than two weeks," I scowl again.

"Don't ruin your cute face like—"

"Shut UP. We should get back to the game."

Nagihiko nods, but then pauses. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"Someone just said, 'Nagihiko! Your rhythm!'"

"Sure wasn't me," I shrug. Something moves out of the corner of my eye. "But Nagihiko…why is your cape moving?"

"I-I don't know," he chokes.

The blue egg floats out of the cape and stops in front of Nagihiko. He gasps. "The blue Guardian Egg…" and on cue, it cracks open and a Character wearing a blue vest and hat pops out.

"My god," I mumble.

The Character looks at Nagihiko. "Come on! Nagihiko! I'm your second Guardian Character, Rhythm! Let's show them what _cool _really looks like!"

"What _does _it look like?" Nagihiko asked dully, eyes still on Rhythm. I shove him.

"Idiot! Character Transform with him!"

"Oh yeah…so do your hands go here?"

"What!" I show him how to position the thumbs and index fingers. "Now say the words!"

"Um…my heart, unlock?"

Light fills the area around us. "Beat Jumper!"

Beat Jumper grins and steals the basketball from an X-character. "Beat Dunk!" He winks again. "Game over!"

The X-characters combine back into one. A girl's voice begins speaking. "It's frustrating…" _Is this the voice of the girl on the ground? _"I can't jump."

"Huh?" Beat Jumper asks.

"I can't jump…the way a boy can."

"This voice must belong to the girl," Beat Jumper tells me. I roll my eyes at him.

"And you're the one taking Algebra, Advanced History, French 2, Italian 2, Advanced Biology, and English 3."

"Compared to the former Jack, that's not a lot," Beat Jumper protests.

I bite my lip, trying to refrain from laughing. Kairi had had like a crazy school schedule, with Calculus, Advanced Literature, Advanced Organic Chemistry, Advanced Physics, German 4, English 4, Intermediate Law, Intermediate Biomedical Engineering, and a million other things I forgot. And he's in fourth grade. FOURTH GRADE.

"A boy took my position." I turn to look at the girl, who I'd temporarily forgotten about. "Because I can't grow taller. They keep growing past me. I can't become strong like a boy."

Beat Jumper looks down. "I know…that feeling. When I'm dancing…the critics always say it's a shame. That I play a female part when I'm a boy. That my dancing is magical, but if I was a real lady, it would've been more elegant. And it's true—true that I can't be as womanly as a real girl. Am I still going to be able to dance? But I was wrong. We just need to strengthen our skills, and have our hearts fill in the rest. If you can't grow any taller…you just have to jump higher."

The pink egg floats up next to Beat Jumper's face and cracks. A Character wearing a pink kimono appears. "Temari!"

"It's been a while, Nagihiko," Temari says.

Beat Jumper transforms back into Nagihiko. Rhythm high-fives Temari. "It's your turn!"

"Unlock my heart! Yamato Mai Hime!"

"Wow…how pretty," I mumble. I can't believe this is the same boy two minutes ago who had slam dunked basketballs.

"I'm Nadeshiko, the former queen," Yamato Mai Hime smiles. "I guess this is my first time meeting you in this form."

"Yes, it is," I say.

"Now…let's work together." She offers me a hand, and this time I accept it.

"Queen's Waltz!" We say in unison. Light sparkles out of our hearts and the X-eggs and X-characters are purified.

Yamato Mai Hime transforms back into Nagihiko—no, Nadeshiko, I think. He's wearing a ponytail, so I guess he's Nadeshiko.

I take a deep breath. "I take back what I said. Maybe it's just a little bit…but I trust you."

Nadeshiko is silent, then breaks out into a huge smile.

I look up at the sky. "The Eggs are returning to their owners. I'm glad."

"Me too," Nadeshiko chirps.

I look at him. "Why are you still Nadeshiko?"

"No reason. Don't worry, they're both the same me."

I nod. "I think we should go up to the next levels to help the others."

"Sure, but let me take out my ponytail."

"Mmhmmm," I mumble, walking towards the stairs.

"Hey, Rima-chan, I told you to wait!"

"Haha!" I begin clattering up the stairs. Nagihiko throws on his cape and begins chasing me.

And reflecting back on it, I actually didn't really mind when he called me Rima-chan.


	17. Yaya Makes Us Play Truth Or Dare

We stop at the second level. Dear Baby and Seraphic Charm (Utau seems to always come at the right times) are working together. It seems like they have it under control, so we rush to the next level.

Amulet Diamond is flying around, with Platinum Royal waving a sword around. When did his scepter change into a sword?

"Maybe we should Character Transform and—" Nagihiko begins. Suddenly, a blinding light appears, and I can faintly make out Amulet Diamond hug Death Rebel, who lies panting on the floor.

I glance at Nagihiko, who is smirking like crazy. "Amu and Ikuto. Amu Tsukiyomi. Huh, it has a nice ring to it."

I grin. "It does."

There's an explosion of light, and Nagihiko and I are knocked off our feet. Nagihiko pulls me up. "You okay?"

"Y-yeah. But what happened?"

Nagihiko points wordlessly. And then I see it too. A girl in a bridal gown. "Amulet Fortune!"

A blue-haired boy is in a pirate uniform. "Seven Seas Treasure!"

I stare. "That's not Amu…Character Transformed with Ran, Miki, Su and Dia?"

Nagihiko nods. "But it is."

"And that's Ikuto, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"Holy sugar!"

"_Holy sugar?_" Nagihiko looks at me and starts snickering. And then suddenly I'm laughing too. We're laughing until tears come into our eyes, and we're oblivious of the fighting and flashes of light around us. We're laughing until our stomachs hurt and all the Easter people are staring at us like, _who brought the mentally disabled elementary kids on board? _

Our laughter is finally cut short when suddenly the Embryo appears—and it's not Amulet Fortune who catches it. In fact, it's the scientists from the Easter team, using some kind of new contraption to net it in. All the Easter employees, along with the Embryo, disappear down a chute. Amulet Fortune turns back into Amu. Amu runs to the chute and presses her face against the glass exterior. "Shoot, they have the Embryo!"

Ikuto shakes his hair out of his face. "Um, what just happened?"

Tadase swallowed. "We went into these bubbles and I saw your memories."

"What an invasion of my privacy," Ikuto says dryly.

"No, I've finally realized what happened that day, two years ago. And I forgive you…Ikuto nii-chan."

I frown. "You guys went into bubbles?"

"It was right before Amu turned into Amulet Fortune," Tadase explains.

Nagihiko opens his cape, and Rhythm flies out. "Hi guys, I'm Nagihiko's Guardian Character."

"Oh! Your egg finally hatched! I'm so happy!" Amu shrieks.

"Yeah, but aren't we supposed to be concentrating on getting back the Embryo? Who know what Easter will do with it?" I remind them. "But we do know what we're going to do with it—world domination. Sometimes I think we aren't much better," I add.

Tadase blushes. "That isn't exactly my wish anymore—"

Ikuto strolls up to a lever I hadn't seen before and pulls on it. "This is an emergency elevator we can use. But it can only take three people. Amu, you should go."

Amu swallows and looks at us. "Okay…Tadase? Ikuto? Come with me?"

"I feel so left out," I grumble.

"It's okay. Let's go find Yaya and Utau, maybe bring Kukai along, and then let's go to the movies or something," Nagihiko grins. "I mean, it's probably going to take them a few hours. We can kill time."

Most other people would say that this was a really bad idea, that we should be reinforcements, but you know what? I'm tired and cranky and hungry. So I grin at him. "Sure."

_An hour later_

"Yaya's hungry," Yaya whines.

"It's already seven-thirty and you haven't had dinner yet. That would make sense," Kairi says, looking at his watch. That's right, we bumped into him at the mall while he was buying new school supplies—because guess what, his parents got transferred here so now he's going back to Seiyo Elementary.

"Where should we go?" Nagihiko asks.

"We should get hot chocolate and doughnuts," I say.

"Ramen! Of course," Kukai and Utau yell in unison.

"It doesn't really matter to me," Kairi says.

"Me neither," Nagihiko agrees.

"Yaya wants gummy bears and lollipops and cupcakes and—"

"We get it, and you're vetoed," I interrupt her.

"Well, two people want ramen, so we have to get ramen," Kukai points out.

"Yeah!" Utau agrees.

Yaya looks at them. "When did Kukai and Utau-chi get so close?"

They both blush. "We…um…"

Utau frowns. "It's not what you think! He's two years younger than me!"

"Actually, I turned 13 in August, back when you were still 13," Kukai corrects her.

Kairi pushes up her glasses. "Since Utau-san's birthday is in November…that would only put you two…ten months apart. That's not too bad." _Compared to you and Amu, _I resist the urge to say.

"Still seems like a kid to me," Utau mutters.

"Hey, shut up!"

"School is almost over…"* I sigh.

"If you count two months as 'almost over,'" Nagihiko says.

"Whatever."

"Where are we going to eat, anyways?" Kukai asks.

"I suppose ramen, but we can get doughnuts and candy for dessert," Mr. Diplomatic a.k.a. Kairi offers.

"Fine," we all say.

Utau and Kukai drag us to this ramen shop near Nagihiko's house, since he says it's getting late so we could spend the night at his place.

"Hard pork sauce noodles!" Utau yells.

"Same!" Kukai shouts.

"Um….same as them I guess," I mutter.

Nagihiko smirks at me. "Soft noodles for me."

"Yaya wants the yummiest stuff!"

"I'd like hard noodles with fish," Kairi says. He catches me staring at him—because honestly, I hate fish—and blushes. "Queen, fish makes you smarter."

Well. I hate being surrounded by geniuses.

"Are you talking about me?" Nagihiko teases.

"Stop reading over my shoulder," I mutter.

"Then how do you know you aren't writing about your huge crush on me?"

"What huge crush?"

"Ha ha, never mind."

God, sometimes I really hate him.

_Forty-five minutes later_

"This is your house?" I gawk.

"Yes, but most of it is for the studio, so the living quarters really aren't that big," Nagihiko answers.

"We should play Truth or Dare!" Yaya squeals.

I look at her. Last time I played Truth or Dare with Yaya, she'd dared me to go up to Nikaidou-sensei and ask him out. But luckily he mistook "Will you go out with me?" for "Will you show me how to solve for a variable in the equation _k=hx+j _where _k, h, _and _j_ are constants?"

Well, maybe not _luckily _since my ears started bleeding twenty minutes into the lecture.

"No," I say. Nobody else had played Truth or Dare with Yaya before, so they all shrugged.

"Fine."

"Sure, why not?"

"Um, okay…."

"I don't really care."

"Well, it's better than being bored."

"No it's not," I snarl at Kukai. "It's worse."

Yaya glares at me. "Well, Rima-tan is outvoted!"

We all sit down in a circle. I'm wedged between Utau and Nagihiko. Yaya goes first "because Yaya had the idea!"

"Hmmmm….Yaya chooses Kukai! "

"Um, Dare!"

Yaya strokes her chin thoughfully. "Go and kiss Utau-chi!"

"WHAT?" we all shout.

"Well, Kukai is already 13, and Utau is 14, so it shouldn't be too hard!"

"But still….that's like….so…." Nagihiko mumbles.

"I wonder who she'd pair me up with if I chose Dare," I say quietly. But not quietly enough, because Yaya looks at me.

"Rima-tan would be with Nagi, of course!"

"WHAAAT? OKAY, I'M NOT CHOOSING DARE!" Both Nagihiko and I yell.

"That would leave you with Kairi," Utau mutters to her.

"Oh yeah!" I smirk. "Ha! But Kairi's sworn to Amu!"

Kairi blushes. "I've thought about that….and while it's true that I'll always love her…I think perhaps I'll love her for changing my life. As like a friend. But I don't think I've found my significant other yet…"

Nagihiko smiles. "Well, that's cool. But Rima's mine, according to Yaya, so lay off of her."

I scowl at him. "Shut up. And anyways, Kairi, that's not the impression you gave me a month ago when you left."

Kairi blushes again. "I know. I'm sorry. I'll have to apologize to Joker for the embarrassment and awkwardness I may have brought her."

"Um…okay…" I mutter.

"Anyways, Utau-chan and Kukai!" Yaya yells.

"I was hoping she'd forgotten about that," Utau mutters.

"I guess we have no choice," Kukai sighs and took Utau's hand, dragging her to the wall.

"He's a teeth-banger!" Utau complains.

"How would you know?" Nagihiko and I ask in unison.

Utau turns red. "Forget it!"

_Three minutes later_

I've never seen anyone make out that long. But then again, the only television I watch are the comedy shows, and my parents never kiss anymore, so I wouldn't know.

"Darn, your breath tastes like ramen," Kukai tells Utau.

"That's a bad thing?"

"No, of course not."

"Okay, Fujisaki, your turn! Truth or dare?" Kukai asks Nagihiko.

Nagihiko rolls his eyes. "Just to be on the safe side, I'm going to pick Truth."

"Lame!" Kukai chortles.

"Shut up. Give me the question."

"Fine. How did you like wearing a sk—"

Nagihiko slaps him. "Illegitimate question! Next one!"

"Okay, do you have feelings for any girls?" Kukai leans forward.

Nagihiko turns red. "Well…sort of…there's this one girl who I think I might like, but I've only known her for a little while…and I haven't really organized my feelings yet for her…but I know my emotions are unrequited…"

_*In Japan, the school year ends in spring._

_Wonder how Rima's going to react to the news. "OMG, is it Amu?" Silence? "You sound so depressed?" Haven't decided yet…_

_ Sorry if this chapter was disorganized. I was half-asleep when I wrote it._

_ Thanks to all the people who reviewed. ^_^ I really appreciate it._


	18. Nagihiko The Ikuto Imposter

My heart begins pounding and I stare down at my Mary Janes, not allowing myself to make any assumptions about his answer. No way. He's probably talking about Amu…

But he'd already met Amu, back when he was Nadeshiko.

No, he's probably talking about some girl in his class, one with perfect brown hair and who can actually sing and isn't vertically challenged.

"Oooh, who is it?" Yaya squeals.

Nagihiko turns redder. "No! I'm not answering that question, because I've already answered Kukai's question!"

"Fine."

"Okay, anyway, it's my turn, isn't it?" Nagihiko turns to me. "Rima-chan!"

I scowl, trying to choose between Truth or Dare. Nagihiko wouldn't dare me to make out with him, so "Dare!"

Nagihiko smirks. "You sure….? Okay, then, recite the periodic table elements without pausing."

Of course he would say something like this.

I take a deep breath. Science is definitely not my best subject, but I'm not letting him get to me. "Hydrogen helium lithium beryllium boron carbon nitrogen oxygen fluorine…"

_Three minutes later_

"…roengentium copernicium ununtrium ununquadium ununpentium ununhexium ununseptium ununoctium!" I gasp for breath.

"You forgot xenon and thorium," Nagihiko says loftily.

Kairi pushes up his glasses. "And cerium, manganese, and antimony."

"Shut up, I don't care!" I glare at Kairi. "Well, then, KAIRI, Truth or Dare?"

Kairi bites his lip. "Dare?"

I look at him. "Hm…" I look at the others. "Help me think of something."

"Make him crossdress!"

"Have him make out with Yaya!"

"Make him sing!"

"Make him bake cookies, Yaya is hungry and she heard from Yukari-san Kairi makes good cookies!"

Kairi is wincing. "Please don't pick the first, second, or third one…."

I stroke my chin. "Do my homework for me."

Kairi looks relieved. "Okay."

I hand him my backpack, stuffed with papers. "You can do these while we continue playing."

"Okay sure…" he glances at one of my worksheets. "Queen, _x_ should equal 14 and a third, not 249."

"Which is exactly why you're doing it for me!" I snap, embarrassed that a nine-year-old was correcting me.

Kairi shrugs and leaves the room.

"Okay, I guess it's my turn…Yaya!" Utau snaps her fingers at her. "Truth or—"

"Dare!"

Utau grins deviously. "Stuff thirty marshmallows in your mouth."

_Twenty minutes later_

Shoot, it's almost ten p.m. Where does the time go?

Yaya is on a sugar high after eating the thirty marshmallows, and we're all hidden in "Nadeshiko's room" (Nagihiko's room—he hasn't taken down the girly decorations yet) evading her. Kairi came out about ten minutes ago to hand me my homework, which was REALLY HUMULIATING since it would've taken me about four hours to complete all of it.

**Ha, that must've made you feel stupid.**

Great, now he's _writing _in my diary?

**Yep.**

__"Stop writing in my diary," I hiss at him. Kukai leans forward.

"I want to write in your diary!"

_Hi, this is Kukai Souma! Soccer owns, but so does basketball!_

"What are you guys doing?" Utau mutters. She looks at my diary and grabs it out of my hands.

_**open your shiny eyes in the silent night**__**  
><strong>__**fushigi na yoru maiorita**__**  
><strong>__**ashioto tatezu shinobiyoru**__**  
><strong>__**nayamashi ge na kuro neko no poozu**__****_

_**tsuki akari o se ni ukabu shiruetto**__**  
><strong>__**'kocchi e oide' to hohoende temaneki**__****_

_**yokubou no kage ugomeku machi**__**  
><strong>__**tenshi no furi de samayoi**__**  
><strong>__**taisetsu sou ni kakaeteru**__**  
><strong>__**ikiba no nai ai no kakera**__****_

_**nemuri ni tsuku koro anata mo dokoka de**__**  
><strong>__**shiawase na yume o mite iru no?**__**  
><strong>__**hoshizora ni kisu o shite ii ko wa mou oyasumi**__****_

_**mitsumenaide tsukamaenaide**__**  
><strong>__**mayoikonda batafurai**__**  
><strong>__**jiyuu utau dare ni mo mienai hane**__**  
><strong>__**kakushiteru no anata no mune no oku**__****_

_**kagami no naka no omokage wa**__**  
><strong>__**nakimushi datta ano koro**__**  
><strong>__**dakeredomou kodomo ja nai**__**  
><strong>__**nobashita kami o hodoita**__****_

_**mune o shimetsukeru amai fureguransu**__**  
><strong>__**yuuwaku shiteru kizuite iru**__**  
><strong>__**kotoba o nakushita kuchibiru ni mahou kaketa no**__****_

_**mitsumenaide tsukamaenaide**__**  
><strong>__**mayoikonda batafurai**__**  
><strong>__**itoshi sugite taisetsu sugite**__**  
><strong>__**kowarete shimau watashi no mune no kagi**__****_

_**sagashi tsuzukeru jibun no sutoorii**__**  
><strong>__**unmei ni mekakushi sarete mo**__**  
><strong>__**kono kumo o tsukinuke haruka na asu e to habataku**__****_

_**mitsumenaide tsukamaenaide**__**  
><strong>__**mayoikonda batafurai**__**  
><strong>__**negai matoi tobitatsu mienai hane**__**  
><strong>__**kakushiteru no anata no mune no oku**_

I look at the words. "What'd you write?"

"The lyrics to my song, Meikyu Butterfly."

"Um, okay…you don't capitalize your letters," I notice.

"Nice going, Sherlock," Nagihiko mumbles.

The door opens. "AHA! YAYA HAS FOUND RIMA-TAN AND NAGI CUDDLING UP AGAINST EACH OTHER!"

We look at each other. "Whaaa….?"

"It's true, you guys are sitting awfully close," Utau smirks.

"And don't use the 'we were cold' excuse," Kukai says.

"What! We aren't cuddling up against each other!" I yell.

"Actually, Rima, we sort of are," Nagihiko mumbles, scooting a little further away from me and taking away the arm around my shoulder that I hadn't even noticed.

"WELL, IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!" I yell, feeling my cheeks beginning to burn.

"Sure…." Utau, Kukai, and Yaya say sarcastically. Kairi had already disappeared downstairs to read a book on anthropology or something.

Nagihiko looks at the clock. "We probably should get going to sleep. We have to get up early tomorrow so we can go help Amu and the others."

We all spread out on the floor with blankets, but I can't sleep. My feelings for Nagihiko are in turmoil. One minute I'll be thinking _Rima Fujisaki…adorable children with purple hair and innocent brown eyes…._ and the next I'll be _what the heck am I thinking? I met him YESTERDAY, he's totally annoying, and he doesn't have any feelings for me!_

But eventually I succumb to sleep.

_January 24__th_

"Wake up," Nagihiko whacks me with a pillow.

"Shut up," I answer, still half-asleep, whacking him with my own pillow. No one bothers me again for five minutes, so I sleep some more.

Suddenly—a warm trickle of a liquid splashes my cheek. I shoot up, instantly alert. "Who's there? Creep!"

Nagihiko smirks. "Payback!" He's holding a teapot in his hand. I immediately understand what happened.

"You….you…you…" I choke. "You ruined my Guardian cape!"

Nagihiko's not-so-innocent chocolate brown eyes widen. "You wore your Guardian cape to bed? Not like that, I didn't mean to sound perverted…"

"What?" I mumble, not getting it. "Well, of course I did, I was cold."

"If you'd just told me, I would've done something about it," Nagihiko says.

"I'd rather wear my Guardian cape instead of having you cuddle with me all night," I retort. "Lech!"

"I didn't mean that," Nagihiko chuckles. "I meant I would've gotten you a blanket."

"Oh," I blush. "Right!"

"Help me wake up the others," Nagihiko grins, handing me a cup of tea. "I'll do Kairi and Kukai. You take care of Yaya and Utau."

_Two minutes later_

Utau sure screams loud. Big deal, I don't care if I woke her up out of a dream about Ikuto. She wouldn't be able to marry him anyways. And Kukai's much better for her.

Ha, if I were matchmaker….

Utau Souma

Amu Tsukiyomi

Or maybe Amu Hotori….?

Yaya…Sanjo?

But Yaya and Kairi are like polar opposites, seriously.

"Then they could balance each other out and stop the other from getting too hyper/giddy or uptight/serious," Nagihiko says.

"Okay, if you read over my shoulder ONE MORE TIME, I'm going to…" I pause, searching for a good threat.

"You'll what?" Nagihiko asks innocently.

"I'm going to tell everyone the truth about who Nadeshiko _really _is," I snarl, putting on my best intimidating look.

Nagihiko frowns. "Why do you look like you're constipated?"

Well, so much for that idea.

"Let's go and save Amu-chi!" Yaya bellows, wearing a black kimono with a black ski mask.

Nagihiko frowns. "You got those from Nadeshiko's closet, didn't you?"

"Yeah, Yaya is so smart!"

"That explains why it's so baggy," I say.

"You probably should put those back. Nadeshiko is sort of…_possessive _about her clothes," Nagihiko says, gritting his teeth. He looks at me. "Why are you smirking so hard?"

_35 minutes later_

"Okay, how are we going to sneak in?" Utau asks.

Kairi pushes up his glasses. They must be coated in grease or something. "Jack will—"

"There's no one named Jack here!" I interrupt.

"He means me," Nagihiko says in a bored tone. I scowl.

"Jack will pretend to be Ikuto Tsukiyomi and along with Utau-san, sneak into the building. They will open the back door for us and we will all sneak in."

"I don't look a thing like Ikuto," Nagihiko says.

"Actually, you sort of do. Dark hair, sort of tall…" I say.

"Just say you got hair extensions and dyed it purple," Kukai offers.

"How does Kairi know there's a back door?" Yaya asks.

"I used to spend my time after school in the Easter building…"

Yaya and I grimace, remembering the days of "Kairi the Spy." Nagihiko looks confused.

"Wait, what? Why did you spend your time in the Easter building?"

"Long story," I respond.

"We better get going," Utau reminds us.

"Hi, I'm Ikuto Tsukiyomi and I need to get into the building!" Nagihiko says in a scary deep voice, flicking his hair back.

"Last time I saw him, Ikuto Tsukiyomi had short dark blue hair," the guard growls.

"Uh yeah! I went and got hair extensions, and dyed my hair purple!"

"Oh really? I've been looking for a salon that will dye my hair red!" the guard says. I bite the inside of my cheek, resisting the urge to laugh, because the guard is bald.

"Oh, it was called…um….the Rima Mashiro Salon!" Nagihiko says.

WHAT THE HECK?

"Cool, I'll search it up!" The guard opens the door for Nagihiko. "And who may this be?" he asks, gesturing to Utau.

"That's my, uh, sister! Utau Hoshina!"

"Why's she taller than you? Isn't she younger?"

"She, um, had a growth spurt!"

"Oh, okay! You two may go through!"

We run to the other side of the building where Kairi says the back door is. Nagihiko opens the door and we all slip in.

"Now for Mission Help or Save Amu-chi, Ikuto, and Tadase—Let's Get Embryo-chi!" Yaya shrieks.

"Yep," we all echo apathetically.

"But don't you find it a little weird that it's been 12 hours since they went down there and they still haven't come up?" Nagihiko asks nervously.

Kairi and Utau gasp. Utau speaks. "I know what happened to them."

"And it's not good," Kairi adds grimly.


	19. I Fail At Karaoke

"We can't help them," Utau explains.

"This is a battle they must fight on their own," Kairi agrees.

"Well, just at least tell me where they are!" I beg.

"They are….to put this bluntly…in the basement of Easter. In the cages. They'll have to get out by themselves…the cages can be broken mentally. They'll need to believe in themselves…and Joker will have to decide." Kairi looks down. "I'm sorry, but there is nothing we can do."

"Decide between what? Chocolate or vanilla?" I ask sarcastically.

"Actually, yes. I remember back in November, nee-san asked me to stalk Joker and King…they were shopping for Guardian things. Later, King bought ice cream for them…Ikuto-san preferred chocolate ice cream, but King preferred vanilla…"

"How did _Ikuto _end up there?" I ask acidly.

"Eh, Queen, it's a long story," Kairi smiles tensely.

"So Amu-chan will be deciding between Tadase and Ikuto," Nagihiko muses.

"No way. If she chooses Ikuto…." Utau mutters under her breath.

"That'd be good for me. Then my competition will be gone," Kukai mumbles.

"What do you mean?" I smirk.

Kukai blushes. "You _heard _that?"

"Well, school started an hour ago," Kairi points out, looking at his watch.

"WHAT? SHOOT! I TOTALLY FORGOT ABOUT SCHOOL!" Nagihiko yells. "I HAVE A TEST TODAY!"

"Aww, I wanted to skip," I complain.

"Yaya wants candy!"

"I don't start school until the 26th…" Kairi says.

"Ha, my school doesn't start until 9," Utau smirks.

"If I skip class, they'll kick me off the soccer team," Kukai gasps.

Nagihiko and Kukai make a mad dash for their schools, I slowly walk, Yaya skips, and Utau goes the opposite direction.

_After school_

"Has there been any word from them?" I ask Nagihiko worriedly.

Nagihiko shakes his head. "No."

I bite my lip. "What if they're trapped in there forever?"

Kairi looks down. "I apologize, Queen, but there is absolutely nothing we can do. There is no way down there now, since it has been sealed off. The only way to break the seal is for Joker to believe in herself…and to choose between King and Ikuto-san."

I squeeze my eyes shut. I've known this feeling before—this feeling of helplessness. When my parents fight…there's nothing I can do about it. And I can't do anything about this situation, either. Besides cover for Amu.

I look at the others. "If Amu's parents call you guys, say Amu's gone over to my house for a sleepover."

"Can I go to your house for a sleepover?" Nagihiko asks.

"What!"

"No, I just mean…lately my parents have been waking me up in the middle of the night for dance practice, and I can't concentrate at school. Like today, I got an 82 on the English quiz."

"And that's bad?"

"For me, yes! I just want a decent night's sleep!"

"Fine. But you have to pretend you're a girl," I grumble.

"Yaya wants to sleep at Rima-tan's house too!"

"What! I guess you can…"

_20 minutes later_

"Nagi looks just like Nadeshiko!" Yaya shrieks. "Talk like a girl, too!"

"Like this?" Nagihiko squeaks.

"Yeah, Nagi is so funny!"

"Come on, let's walk into the door. Don't forget to say hello and smile, my parents eat up that kind of stuff if they aren't—" I stop myself, because I can't tell them my parents fight.

"Hello! Nice to meet you, Mashiro-sans!" Nagihiko greets my parents. "I'm Nadeshiko, Rima-chan's friend from school!"

"Hi! Yaya is Rima-tan's friend! Yaya is hungry!"

"Um, yeah, we're going upstairs now!" I yell, dragging Yaya and Nagihiko with me.

"Let's play Truth or Dare!" Yaya screams.

"NO," Nagihiko and I say in unison.

"How about spin-the-bottle?"

"One, Nagihiko is the only guy here, and two, kissing him would be creepy because he looks like a girl."

Nagihiko kicks me. "You know what? Let's do karaoke!"

It turns out Nagihiko is really good at singing.

When it's my turn, guess what song it is? Yep, the exact same song the lyrics of which Utau had scribbled into my diary just yesterday—Meikyu Butterfly. You'd think after hearing this song countless times while hanging out/fighting Utau I'd at least somewhat know it.

"Open your shiny eyes in the silent night," the Utau on stage mouths.

"Okay your silent lies are shiny fights," I sing, off-key and off-beat.

"That doesn't even make sense," Nagihiko smirks.

"I give up!" I try to whack Nagihiko with the microphone, but he ducks and I hit the expensive vase my parents bought the other day.

Oops.

"It's Yaya's turn! She picks Happy Birthday!"

"Whaaat? You can karaoke to that song?" I ask.

"Apparently so," Nagihiko responds.

"Haaaaaappppy B-day to Yaya! Haaaaaaapppy B-day to Yaya! OH IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE! Haaaaappppy 11th B-day to Yaya!"

"Isn't she already eleven?" Nagihiko sweatdrops. "And I'm pretty sure that's not how the song goes…."

"My….ears…..are….bleeding…." I moan, clutching my left ear.

"Isn't it Rima-tan's birthday soon?" Yaya squeals.

"Yep," I answer in a monotone.

"Yaya should have a surprise party for her!"

"No way," I answer. "Anyways, you just gave it away."

Suddenly, my cell phone rings with the sound of Christmas bells. "Hello?"

"This is Amu's dad. Do you know where she is?"

"Sorry for not telling you this before, but she's at my house for a sleepover. She'll probably be here the next day, also."

"Are there any boys?"

"No."

"Okay then bye!" He hangs up.

"What should we do now?" I ask.

"Let's spar each other," Nagihiko offers.

"What's that?" Yaya and I ask in unison.

"It's basically when you fight each other and see who can knock the other one down to the ground first!"

"What! No freaking way!" I yell, because Nagihiko and probably Yaya could both throw me.

"Sounds fun! Nagi and Rima-tan can go first!"

Nagihiko punches me in the stomach before I've even realized we were starting and I fall to the gorund, clutching my stomach. "Nagihiko….." I growl. "I am so getting back at you later."

"Okay, one point to me. Yaya, you're next."

He knocks Yaya to the ground by kicking her knees. I glare at him. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

He smiles sadistically. "Of course."

_Twenty minutes later_

"I….can't….walk…." I groan. "Nagihiko….hasn't anyone…..ever….told you…you shouldn't….hit girls?"

"No, I was raised as—" Nagihiko stops, realizing Yaya is also here. But I can guess he was about to say _No, I was raised as a girl._

"No chivalry points go to you. Next time you want to spar, do it with the guys," I moan.

"Look at the scoreboard!" Yaya squeals.

_Nagihiko: 124_

_ Rima: 1 (Yaya got distracted by a jar of cookies she'd seen on the counter)_

_ Yaya: 6 (Rima fails at sparring)_

"Let's go to sleep," I try to sound chirpy.

"But it's only eight…and we haven't had dinner…." Nagihiko whines.

"Well, TOO BAD."

_January 25__th_

Nothing significant happened today. No sign of Amu or Tadase or Ikuto.

_January 26__th_

We dubbed Kairi as the temporary King since he joined the school today and that way the Guardians can be stronger.

Still no sign of the Amu-Tadase-Ikuto group.

_January 27__th_

Nothing. We told Amu's parents that since she was a really prestigious student (what a joke) she got to go on a field trip and might not be back for a few days.

_January 28__th_

I'm getting really worried.

_January 29__th_

I don't care what Kairi says, if she doesn't come back tomorrow I'm going over to Easter to check it out myself.

_I know this is straying from the path of the manga/anime, but I want to write it this way. Anyways, I had to eventually leave the manga/anime…_

_ When will Amu, Tadase, & Ikuto come back? Mm?_

_ Please review. I read every single review and appreciate them all._


	20. I Receive Lots Of Chocolate

_January 30__th_

They're back.

In the middle of math, when Nikaidou-sensei was droning on about exponents, the door slammed open. Nikaidou-sensei said, "Wow, the wind must be very strong today."

"No, you moron, I'm not the wind," a familiar voice scoffed. I gasped.

"Amu!"

"Noooo! My competition is back! Now I'll never be Tadase's wife!" Saaya Yamabuki shrieked.

"Huh?" Tadase mumbled, appearing behind Amu. His hair was all messy and he had a cut on his upper left cheek. "Who's wife?" And suddenly I realized—Amu had chosen. And it hadn't been him.

The psychic was right! Ikuto used to be Tadase's enemy….and Amu had chosen him over Tadase.

Darn, that must hurt. Maybe we should find another girl for him…

Crap, the psychic was right? That means my fortune was probably accurate too…and the only boy I can think of with a secret is…

OH. MY. GOD. NO. WAY. IT CAN'T. BE. TRUE. I WON'T LET IT BE TRUE!

"Himamori-san!" Nikaidou-sensei pointed to her desk. "Sit down."

"It's Hinamori!" Amu said angrily.

"Okay, Himamori-san!"

"You're just doing that on purpose now!"

"Did you _just _figure that out?" I ask her, amazed.

"Well," Amu blushed, "sort of."

Idiot. Now I can see why it took them a week to get out of that Easter place.

_After school_

"It turned out the Embryo was the Heart's egg of the boss of Easter, who was the little kid I gave taiyaki to. He had an empty void in his heart since he wasn't taught to have emotion, and so he had like a million jewels to fill it…." Amu says.

"I don't get it, but what happened next?" I ask.

"The Embryo went back into his heart. We don't need to look for it anymore."

"Okay…." Nagihiko says.

Amu notices the green-haired boy sitting across the table from her. "Oh my god, Kairi, you're back!" She immediately begins to blush.

"Why are you blushing?" Kukai, Nagihiko, Utau, and Ikuto ask.

"Remember, you chose _me _already," Ikuto says.

"You're so possessive!" Utau rolls her eyes.

"Mmmhmmm, hypocrite," Ikuto mutters.

"No, I'm over you. It was just infatuation."

"Ooh, I'm so heart-broken," Ikuto says sarcastically.

"J-Joker! I'm sorry for all the awkwardness and embarrassment I may have caused you. I've realized now that while I'll always love you, it'll be as a friend. Because you changed my life." Kairi looks down.

"It seems like everyone has a crush on Amu," I grumble.

"Not everyone," Nagihiko says. There's a strange look in his eye.

"Mm…" I answer absentmindedly. "Wait, what's that supposed to mean?"

Nagihiko turns red. "N-nothing."

_February 17__th_

I was too lazy to write in this thing for the last two and a half weeks. But the school year ends March 9th! That's good!

The Guardians threw a party for me in the Royal Garden. Nagihiko baked this awesome cake with chocolate frosting and strawberries embedded in the middle. Yaya immediately polished off half of it. My parents completely forgot it and I didn't bother to remind them. So I guess I'm 12 now. One more year until I'm 13 when my parents will let me date…..

Wait, but that wouldn't really matter to me, anyways.

Yeah…it wouldn't matter to me…RIGHT?

I got an invitation in the mail yesterday….to Nikaidou-sensei and Yukari-san's wedding on the 4th. Their WEDDING. Oh, and since I'm "Kairi's friend and Nikaidou-san's student" they want me to be the flower girl. When I told Nagihiko, he snickered and said that usually kindergartners were flower girls. "I guess you're short enough though," he added.

Ha ha. That bruise looks nasty. That'll teach him not to mess with me.

On Valentine's Day, Nagihiko gave me a box of chocolates. They tasted good. But he also gave a box to Amu and Yaya, so it doesn't mean anything.

But mine was the kind that came in a heart-shaped box with a bow, and theirs were rectangles with thin transparent plastic wrapping around the boxes.

Well, I don't care one way or another.

Okay, so those were the highlights of the last 18 days.

I'm walking home right now with Nagihiko and Amu.

"That finals test was SCARY," Amu complains.

"Really? I thought it was easy," Nagihiko says.

"What did you get on problem 12?" I ask.

"Neurons," Nagihiko says.

"Electrons," Amu says.

"I got protons," I say. "Shoot, that means two of us are wrong."

Nagihiko smirks and takes out his chemistry textbook, flipping it to page 304. "Ha, you two are the ones wrong." He shows us the paragraph about how neurons have no negative or positive charge, since they are perfectly neutral.

I glare at him. "Shut up."

I have English, Math, and Japanese tomorrow, then Gym and Art the day after that. It's enough to make one go mad.

I walk to my front door. "See you, Amu and Nagi!"

Nagihiko pauses. "Wait, what'd you just call me?"

I blush, realizing what I'd said. "It just slipped out!"

Amu smirks. "Yup, sure, right….."

"Amu, you aren't helping!" I stomp into the house and shut the door. They can be so….so _juvenile _sometimes.

I turn around to find both of my parents sitting uncomfortably in straight-backed wooden chairs. "Huh?"

Dad takes a deep breath and then exhales. "Rima…."

Mom swallows. "We're getting divorced."


	21. The Superintendent Has A Cold

"Wh-what?" I choke.

"We're getting divorced."

I stare at them for a second. And then I'm running. Running out of the house, down the street. At first I consider going to Amu's, but when I arrive at the fork that will either lead to Amu's house in the cheery suburbs or Nagihiko's house in the middle of a dark forest, I don't hesitate.

Nagihiko opens the door as I'm dashing up the stairs. "Whoa, Rima-chan, what are you doing?"

I glare at him. "Change into Nadeshiko."

"Wh-what…."

"Do it! Now! Then I'll explain!"

_5 minutes later_

"Nadeshiko!" I shriek and hug her. Nadeshiko sweatdrops.

"You know it's still me, right?"

"Yes, but Nadeshiko is nicer and cuter!"

"I don't know whether to be offended or complimented…."

"That's the problem with have split personalities," Kusukusu giggles.

I look down at my shoes. "Anyways…my parents are getting divorced."

Nadeshiko's mocha brown eyes widen. "Rima-chan….I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. I guess I knew it was coming," I say loftily.

"Rima-chan, you don't have to pretend in front of me."

"Fine! The truth is, I don't know what to do…I mean it's good that they won't have to see each other every day and argue, but I can't help thinking this is my fault! If I'd never been kidnapped…if I'd known martial arts or something…then we'd be a happy family going to the park every weekend to picnic and feed the pigeons…" I bury my face in my hands. Nadeshiko strokes my hair.

"Rima-chan, whatever happens, the Guardians will be behind you."

"This isn't something they can't fix! Amu can't just say 'Negative Heart, lock on! Open Heart!' and everything will be okay! This is different! It doesn't matter if I believe in myself!" I sob.

"Rima-chan, perhaps we can't change the fact that your parents are divorcing but you can try to make the best of it."

"How?"

"Ehh…." Nadeshiko bites her lip. "I'm sort of rusty on that part, but I bet the others can help think of ideas."

I looked at her. "Nadeshiko…"

"It'll be okay, I promise."

_February 18__th_

"Ahem, ahem. I have an announcement," Tsukasa-san coughs into the microphone. "I have a cold."

"Did you gather all of us just to announce that?" A 4th grader yells from the back.

"I forgot what I was supposed to announce," Tsukasa-san says sheepishly. "Be right back."

We (the Guardians) are sitting on the stage behind him and sweatdrop in unison.

"Knowing him, it could take up to an hour for him to come back," Tadase mumbles. "We probably should entertain the students so they don't get rowdy."

"Rima-chan should sing," Nagihiko teases.

"What! No, you should dance!" I retort.

"Yaya'll sing!" Yaya declares, and walks up boldly to the microphone. "Hi everyone! This is Yaya, she's the Ace chair of the Guardians, and she's going to sing!"

_2 minutes later_

Tch. I already had my earplugs ready and everything. She didn't tell us she was going to lip-sync to a Hoshina Utau song. Which, by the way, doesn't really count as singing.

"Wasn't Yaya great?" Yaya asks proudly as she walked back to her seat.

"Now what should we do to entertain them?" Tadase mumbles.

I grin cunningly. "Oh, I don't know, PRINCE."

Nagihiko looks at me. "What'd you do _that _for? You know he—"

"MWUAHAHAHAHAHA! I AM THE RULER OF THE WORLD! HAHAHAA!"

The entire student body is laughing and clapping. I smirk. "Ha, this is way more entertaining than Yaya's lame lip-syncing thing."

"Hey!" Yaya protests.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHA! WORLD DOMINATION! DON'T CALL ME….PRINCE! I AM THE KING! THE KING OF THE WORLD! AHAHAHAAHA!"

Tsukasa-san walks up to the King and dumps tea all over Tadase to subdue him, which sends the students howling.

"Okay, anyways, I have the announcement. Due to budget cuts, we will be combining the elementary and middle school," Tsukasa-san says.

HUH?

"Cool!" Yaya squeals. "Then the Guardians don't have to split!"

"Yeah!" Amu grins.

"Another year of a sugar-hyper Ace?" I groan.

"Yaya does have good qualities," Nagihiko points out.

I scowl. I hate it when he's right.

"Hey Tadase-kun! Do that King act again!" A 5th grader shouts.

Tadase glares at me. "Mashiro-san!"

I laugh nervously. "It was Nagihiko's idea!"

Nagihiko kicks me in the shin. "No, it wasn't!"

"Mashiro-san and Fujisaki, both of you are condemned to extra Guardian duties after school!" Tadase hisses.

I roll my eyes. "Shoot."

_After school_

"You can sort the papers. I'll file them," Nagihiko says.

"Why are you being so bossy?" I scowl.

"You want to file them?"

"No."

"Exactly."

We work in silence for 20 minutes.

Nagihiko finally breaks the peace. "Look, Rima-chan, I don't know how to say this but…." He turns red.

I glare at him. "What?"

He exhales. "I-I'm sorry…I don't know what came over me…forget it."

I look at him. "_What?"_

"F-forget it! Forget it!"


	22. Kukai Doesn't Understand Sarcasm

**NAGIHIKO'S JOURNAL**

_February 19__th_

I nearly confessed to her yesterday.

The sad truth is I like her. Really like her. And she obviously doesn't feel the same way about me.

It was just I thought it was a perfect opportunity, since we were alone and she didn't seem to be mad at me, but then I thought….if she doesn't like me, why bother?

Now she thinks I'm weird. Not that she didn't already think that, after the whole Nadeshiko thing.

And I don't know, maybe I should seriously back off, since I met her less than a month ago. But I've never felt this way about anyone. Not Amu, not Yaya, not Utau.

I need to talk to someone about this, ask his opinion.

Tadase? Kukai? Ikuto? Kairi?

I choose Kukai. "I need to talk to you," I mumble to him on the phone.

"Whoa, is this Fujisaki?"

"No, of course not, it's a telemarketer," I say sarcastically.

"Shut up, Fujisaki, I can tell it's your voice. Are you trying to prank me or something?"

"I was being sarcastic!" I groan, hoping it was a good idea to choose him as my confidant.

"Okay, so what do you want to say?"

"Could I talk to you in person?"

"Okay."

"Meet at my house in ten."

"In ten minutes?"

"No, of course not, I meant in _ten hours," _I sneer acerbically.

"Really? But you realize that means we'd meet at….four in the morning?"

"Again, I was being sarcastic," I mutter.

"Oh! Okay, so you mean in ten minutes?"

"Yes!" I shout and slam down the phone.

_10 minutes later_

"Okay, so what is it?" Kukai asks.

"Um, I think I sort of might like Rima-chan," I mumble.

"Well, of course you like her! She's your friend!"

"No, as more than a friend!" I yell, exasperated. "The way you like Utau!"

Kukai immediately turns scarlet. "Wh-what? There's nothing going on between me and Utau-chan!"

I narrow my eyes at him. "Since when did you add the _–chan _to her name?"

Kukai glares at me. "So you're saying you like Rima-chan?"

"YES," I groan loudly.

Kukai strokes his chin. "Hmmm…..well now that I think about it, you flirt with her a lot….and the way you look at her…you're sort of obvious, frankly. And in my opinion, there's a chance your feelings may be reciprocated."

"Since when have you known what the word _reciprocated _means?"

Kukai laughs nervously. "Um, uh, ever since I stole your pocket dictionary…"

"Hey! Give it back!" I glare at him. "Wait, so you think Rima-chan might actually like me back?"

"Yeah….like she's always staring at you and stuff…"

I bite my lip. I want to believe Kukai, but he's probably not the best expert on love.

"You should just ask her," Kukai says. "Then you'll know!"

"Of course I can't do that! That makes it sound like I like her!"

"But you do, right?"

"Well, yes, but I don't want her to know!"

Kukai shrugs. "Then why'd you make me come here?"

"I just needed to get it off my chest," I sigh.

Kukai grins. "Ha, another one of us in love! Now all the Guardians are accounted for, besides Yuiki, Sanjo, and possibly Mashiro!"

"Don't make this a joke!" I growl, cracking my knuckles. "Just because I spent the first dozen years of my life pretending to be a girl doesn't mean I'm weak when it comes to holding my own in a fight!"

"I didn't say anything! I didn't say anything!"

So now I'm at my own desk, reflecting on the conversation.

Could Rima Mashiro really like me?

That wouldn't make any sense to me. My leg has been bruised so many times by her kicking me. Believe me, those Mary Janes are hard.

But Kukai is the only one of us who has a girlfriend, even if he won't admit it. Maybe his advice does hold some value….

_February 22__nd_

Our finals have been graded. I've always been first in the class. I don't want to consider the unthinkable—that the same thing hasn't happened this year.

English: "And first is Nagihiko Fujisaki with a score of 98.6…."

Japanese: "Nagihiko Fujisaki placed first with a score of 99.1…"

French: "Nagihiko Fujisaki is first with a score of 97.0…"

Chemistry: "First with a score of 100.0 is Nagihiko Fujisaki…"

Biology: "Nagihiko Fujisaki, with a score of 94.3, placed first…"

Italian: "Congratulations to Nagihiko Fujisaki, who is first with a score of 98.8…"

History: "This young man blew past the others with a score of 102.3. Congratulations, Nagihiko Fujisaki!"

Algebra: "Let's applaud for Nagihiko Fujisaki, who is first with a score of 99.5!" (No one did, by the way.)

At lunch, we meet at our usual table next to the potted plants. "I got 10th place for everything besides math—I got 23rd for that," Rima complains.

"Ugh, I got 19th for everything!" Amu moans.

"I got around 4th place for most of the subjects," Tadase says mildly.

They all look at me. "What about you, Fujisaki?" Tadase asks.

"I…uh…got 1st…in every subject…" I say. If looks could kill, I'd be dead about right now.

"You what?" Rima hisses.

"Don't be so competitive, Rima!" Amu smiles nervously.

"You _what?" _Rima repeats, ignoring Amu.

"I, um, got 1st in every subject?" I say apprehensively.

_Clang._

Shoot. "Could you get me some ice, Hotori?" I ask, wincing. "Rima-chan…you…"

"Rima, you're so heartless! Look at how big of a bump you created!" Amu scolds Rima.

"Hmmmph!" Rima turns away, but I swear I saw a smile form at the corner of her lips.

So cruel.

_March 4__th_

Rima looks really adorable in the pink satin dress they're having her wear, I've got to say. Although she wouldn't take it as a compliment if I told her that.

She walked down the aisle, scattering white and pink rose petals around. Honestly, I was mesmerized. Amu, who was sitting next to me, frowned. "Nagihiko, you look like Ikuto when he's staring at me."

"Mmhmm," I answered, eyes not leaving the beautiful blonde in the aisle.

During the reception, Kairi and Yaya disappeared off to who-knows-where. Yaya says it's a surprise and we'll find out on the 9th.

Honestly, that's all I remember about the wedding. I'm sort of ashamed to admit I was staring at Rima the whole time. She didn't seem to notice, but Amu and Kukai sure did. And boy, did they tease me about it. The only way I got them to shut up was to mention Ikuto and Utau.

_March 9__th_

Well, I found out what Kairi and Yaya were doing during the reception of the wedding—creating a disco ball that would explode and tea would dump down on us.

Although Yaya says it wasn't supposed to explode. Yeah, right. Then why was she _grinning _so hard when I got soaked with tea? British earl grey, to be exact?

Anyways, I guess now I'm a seventh grader. School starts on the 12th—we don't even get a spring break, and since they're combining the middle and elementary school, it'll feel like I'm still in 6th grade.

Well. I wonder what I'm going to do about Rima….

Maybe I should date Amu to make her jealous.

Hey, that's a good idea.

No, but isn't Amu in love with Ikuto?

Speak of the devil. My cell phone just rang, and the Caller ID indicates it's Amu.

I pick up. "Hello?

"Hey Nagi, this is Amu! So basically I was talking with Kukai about your crush on Rima and we both agreed you should make her jealous. So I think I can pretend I'm dating you. I explained it to Ikuto and he reluctantly agreed after I bribed him with catnip. He's a little jealous though, so don't rub it in his face."

"What?" _How did she know that was exactly what I was thinking._

"Yeah, so the plan starts in 7th grade, 'kay? Okay I got to go bye!" _Click._

I stare at the phone in my palm. Rima Mashiro….will she be jealous?

What will she do?

_I'm so glad 6__th__ grade's finally finished! I sort of skimped through February so they could graduate sooner. 7__th__ grade, huh? I'm thinking a school play…_

_ Wonder how well Nagi's plan is going to work._

_ -Nintai-chan _


	23. I'm Forced To Be Gretel

**RIMA'S DIARY**

_March 12__th_

I was all happy and entering the school for my first day of 7th grade when something stopped me in my tracks and ruined my whole day.

Nagihiko. Fujisaki. Holding. Hands. With. Amu. Hinamori. I had this huge urge right about then to murder her.

Evil. Pure evil. Although I couldn't show I was upset, so I skipped right up to them and said sunnily, "Hi! Are you two dating! I want you to know that I'm not the least bit jealous, and am in fact really happy for you two!"

Amu looked at Nagihiko. "No, who said anything about you being jealous?"

I turned red. "I just wanted to clarify, in case you thought I was. Anyways, AMU, aren't you in love with Ikuto?"

Amu shrugged. "I got over him."

I grinned. Because it's true. I'm not jealous at all. Not at all.

Okay, maybe I'm a little jealous. But that doesn't mean I like Nagihiko! Not at all! I'm just jealous because….I'm just jealous because they seem happy. And I'm not….because my parents divorced. That's all there is to it.

"Pay attention to class, Mashiro-san!" Nikaidou-sensei reminds me. That's right, since the elementary and middle schools were combined, I have to get taught again by the klutz who's the laughingstock of the faculty.

"I was," I lie.

Nagihiko (yes, he's in my class this year) smirks. "Mmmhmmm, everyone believes that."

I kick him. Nagihiko clutches his shin in agony. "Rima-chan…so mean…"

_Lunch_

"Hey Amu, do you want to go out on a date this Saturday?" Nagihiko asks while glancing at me.

"Yeah, sure! Let's go to the ice cream place near the park!" Amu chirps.

I scowl. Do they seriously have to rub it in my face? Well, fine, they aren't the only ones who can date. "Hey, Tadase-kun, do you want to go out with me?"

Nagihiko drops the bowl of soup he was holding. It splatters all over his school uniform, but he doesn't seem to care. "Wh-what?"

I glare at him. "What does this have to do with you? Anyways, Tadase, what do you say?"

Tadase blushes. "I-I…well, since I've already been rejected by Amu…I guess, sure?"

I look at Amu and Nagihiko and see shock registered on both of their faces. I shrug. "What? He's cute."

This just caused Nagihiko's jaw to drop even lower, which I wasn't sure was even humanly possible.

_After school_

Yaya dragged us to the Drama Club. "Tadase is the only one here who needs to work on his acting!" I complain. "Nagihiko and I are both good at acting, why do we need to come!"

"This is going to interfere with lacrosse practice," Kukai grumbles.

"I do not plan to pursue a career in entertainment, so why would I need to participate in this club?" Kairi protests.

Nagihiko grins. "This sounds cool!"

"I don't really have a good excuse for getting out of this, but can I get out of this anyways?" Amu asks hopefully.

An overweight brunette who looks like she's about 50 greets us. "Hello! I am Hakajisho-sensei! We will wait five more minutes for the other students who would like to audition for the play we will be doing this semester, my very own creation, Hansel and Gretel!"

"That's not your very own creation!" Nagihiko says indignantly. "The Brothers Grimm wrote it!"

Kairi pushes up his glasses. "Isn't that copyright infringement?"

Hakajisho-sensei glares at Nagihiko and Kairi. "Silence! Since it appears that no one else is coming ("Who would?" I mutter), we will begin!" She looks at her watch. "If I have each one of you audition, we'd finish at about 5. And my favorite drama will be over by then!"

We all sweatdrop.

"Okay then, I'll just pick the parts based on looks! You two!" She points at Tadase and me. "You two are both blonde, it looks like you could be siblings, so you kids can be Hansel and Gretel?"

"Who's Hansel and who's Gretel?" Kukai asks. I take off my left shoe and throw it at him. He ducks and the Mary Jane hits Kairi in the head instead.

"He's being serious," Nagihiko tells me. "He really doesn't know who's supposed to be Hansel and who's supposed to be Gretel."

"How do you know?" I ask before remembering I'd vowed to give Nagihiko the cold shoulder until he broke up with Amu.

"Personal experience," he says.

"You! Girl with purple hair! You can be the witch!"

"I'm a guy," Nagihiko says dryly.

"Doesn't matter!" She turns to Kukai. "You can be the father, and you," she points to Amu, "can be the stepmother. The green-haired boy with glasses can be the narrator."

"But what about Yaya?" Yaya whines.

"You can be the…uh…gingerbread man," Hakajisho-sensei shrugs. "Anyways, my drama is starting, so I better be going!" She tosses some scripts at us. "Do a table read of these!"

"What's that?" Amu asks.

"It's when we all sit down at the table and just read our lines," Nagihiko responds.

Shoot, this means I'll have to talk to Nagihiko, wouldn't it? Because Gretel has to talk to the wtich…

Fine, but I won't talk to him outside of Drama.

Kairi clears his throat and squints at the point-eight font. "Hello, this is the narrator? Once upon a time….there was a man. He had a wife."

It just went downhill from there.

_Twenty minutes later_

"Hey look. There's a weird house with candy stuck on it. Yaya would've liked it," I point at an invisible house in the distance. We'd abandoned the script entirely.

"Too bad she's not here," Tadase says in a monotone. "But I'm sort of hungry. Amu wouldn't even give me any catnip, she said she was saving it for Ikuto. I haven't eaten since lunch."

I look at him. "But we just had lunch 20 minutes ago!"

"Exactly."

Nagihiko burst out of the invisible house with Yaya on his heels. "Who the heck are you guys? Look pretty suspicious to me! Are you drug dealers? Or even worse…the police!" He dragged Yaya forward. "Well, if you want to arrest me, you have to get through my bodyguard first!"

Yaya tries to look tough. I frown. "Hey look, Tadase, there's food!" I point at Yaya.

"Do you realize how wrong that sounds?" Nagihiko asks in an undertone.

"Huh?" I scrunch up my eyebrows.

Kairi walks onto the stage. "The witch decided to let the two kids in."

Nagihiko smiled. "Why don't you two darlings come in."

"No way, we aren't stupid," I snarl.

"She probably has food," Tadase says.

"Yes, but she also probably has knives and guns and maybe even a hand grenade…."

Tadase pales. "True! Mash—I mean Gretel, let's get out of here!"

"Not so fast," Kukai sneers.

"Wait, aren't you supposed to be good?" I ask him.

Kukai frowns and glances at the script. "Oops."

"Why do I have a bad feeling that this play is going to be a fail….?" Nagihiko groans.

"Gosh, I don't know," I tell him derisively.


	24. I Entrust My Love Life To Yaya

**NAGIHIKO'S JOURNAL**

_March 12__th_

After Drama Club, I cornered Amu and Kukai. "You two said this would make her jealous! Instead, she's going out with a different guy!" I hiss.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please don't kill me!" Kukai says timidly.

"Maybe she's dating Tadase to make you jealous," Amu pipes up optimistically.

"What are you three doing?" Tadase asks. We turn around and I fight the urge to wring his neck.

Kairi adjusts his glasses. "We just heard from Tsukasa-san that we are putting this play on next week."

"NEXT WEEK!" I yell. I caught Rima looking at me. She quickly averted her gaze.

"Nagi, we should go! I hope the next play Hakajisho-sensei makes us do is Romeo and Juliet! I'll be Juliet and you can be Romeo, okay?" Amu winks coyly at me and takes my hand. I quickly glance at Rima's expression. It is one of total fury, with her face practically purple and her fists balled up.

As soon as we leave the room, Amu drops my hand. "I feel sort of bad…I think you should just tell Rima your feelings. It'd be a lot more practical than this."

"Yeah, you can tell you're torturing her," Kukai adds.

"Maybe she actually doesn't like me. Have you two ever considered _that_?" I sneer.

"No," they say in unison.

"It's incredibly obvious," Amu says.

"I can't believe you can't see that," Kukai chuckles.

"Well, I can't confess to her!"

"Why not?" they ask in unison.

"The whole 'speaking in unison' thing you guys are doing creeps me out…" I mutter.

"I can ask Rima about her feelings for you," Amu offers.

I shrug. "That's okay, you don't have to."

"No, I want to."

I nod slowly. "Fine, have it your way. But what are we going to do about the current situation?

"You two should break up," a deep and solemn voice came from behind me. I did a 360.

"Ikuto-kun!"

"The one and only," Ikuto said in an uninterested tone. "How long are you going to 'date' Amu? I'm getting seriously impatient. I want to do fun things with her, but you get in the way…"

"Pervert!" Amu shrieks.

"Maybe that's a good idea," Kukai agrees. "You're really tormenting Mashiro."

"Well, then what about Tadase?" I yell.

"What about me?" Tadase pokes his head in.

"Let's just tell him the truth," Amu says.

"Fine! So Tadase, you know how Rima-chan asked you out?" I begin.

"Yes."

"Well, the truth is, we think she did it because she was jealous that I was dating Amu."

"Because Mashiro likes Fujisaki," Kukai clarifies.

"So could you break up with her?" I plead.

Tadase looks puzzled for a minute, and then his face clears. "Oh, okay! Do you want me to tell her that you and Amu broke up, too?"

"How did you know that's what we were going to do?" Amu, Kukai and I shout in unison.

Tadase smiles. "A little kitty told me."

"I'm not a little kitty!" Yoru protests. "I'm a Guardian Character!"

"I still can't be used to the fact that Tadase and Ikuto are friends," Amu mutters, shaking her head.

"My love radar told me there was trouble!" El comes shooting out of nowhere, followed by Utau and Il.

"Hey, what are you guys doing?"

"Helping Fujisaki get Mashiro!" Kukai yells, his face suddenly red.

"Why is your face so red?" I smirk.

"N-no reason."

"King, I was just wondering if we're going to have Guardian activities tomorrow?" Kairi asks, walking into the hall, accompanied by Yaya.

"Kairi-kun! I want candy!"

"I'm sorry, Ace ("Just Yaya is fine!" Yaya says), I don't have any left."

"So we're all here besides Mashiro?" Kukai asks, looking around.

"What about Queen?" Kairi asks, confused. Amu quickly explains the situation to him and Yaya.

"Hmmm….I have a plan," Kairi says. "Fujisaki, you cannot know what it is, or else this will not work."

"What!" I groan. "Well, as long as you have a plan…."

As I left the hall, I heard Yaya yell, "The Help Nagi Get Rima-tan To Fall in Love with Him and Admit It Committee is now in action!"

Shoot, I just entrusted my love life to her.


	25. The School Play Officially Sucks

_What can I say? I'm really sorry for not posting any new chapters for four days. But in my defense, my SAT scores came back….1950. Well, my parents were angry with me for not scoring above 2000 so they took my laptop away for half a week. Now I'll have to take the SAT again next year in 8__th__ grade T_T. Another year filled with horrendous SAT practice tests and vocabulary memorization. Nooooo!_

_ Not to make my parents sound all evil and strict or anything. They gave me a laptop and internet and everything so I could write Rimahiko fan fiction instead of doing my math homework. _

_ Anyways, enjoy ^_^._

**RIMA'S DIARY**

_Evening_

I'm supposed to be sleeping but Nagihiko's keeping me awake. So he's dating Amu, huh? Well, I don't care because I don't like him. Got it? I DON'T LIKE HIM.

Okay, why am I lying in my own diary?

Fine. I like him. I've liked him since January, since the day we met. HAPPY?

Well, what can I do about it? He clearly doesn't like me back. I mean, he's dating a different girl!

The only way to get out of this is to act like I don't like him. To brush him off. Then maybe I'll fool myself and not like him anymore.

Yep. That's what I'll do.

_March 13__th_

Tadase cornered me before school started. "Mashiro-san, did you know Fujisaki and Amu-chan broke up?"

"R-really?" I ask, trying to keep elation out of my voice.

"Yes. And I was thinking maybe we should too."

"Oh, okay!" I say cheerfully.

"You sound so jovial," Nagihiko sweatdrops.

"Well, yes but—WHEN'D YOU GET HERE?"

"Just a couple seconds ago."

"I better get going," Tadase rushes away.

"Anyways, why'd you break up with Amu?"

Nagihiko shifts from one foot to another, trying to form the best answer. "To be honest, it was because I liked a different girl."

"Who?" I try to act uninterested.

Nagihiko sticks his tongue out at me. "Guess."

I scowl. "Uh, Yaya?"

Kairi, who was walking past us to his locker, suddenly stops. "Jack likes Ace?"

Nagihiko blushes. "S-Sanjo!"

"We all know you like Yaya," I tell Kairi.

Kairi turns red. "I…Queen, how'd you guess?"

"It's really obvious," Nagihiko sweatdrops.

"It is," Amu agrees, walking up to us. I see she's holding hands with Ikuto and glance at Nagihiko to see his reaction. I don't think he even noticed.

"J-Joker! And Ikuto-san!"

"Why don't you just tell Yaya and be done with it?" Nagihiko suggests.

"Aww, you guys, stop teasing the nine-year-old, especially _you_, Nagihiko. Hypocrite," Utau says, dashing up to us along with Kukai.

Nagihiko turns red. "How am I hypo—"

"We all know how you're being hypocritical, so don't try to deny it," Kukai snickers. Then he looks at me. "Okay, maybe not _all _of us."

I scowl. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Nothing," they all say in unison.

I frown at Utau and Ikuto. "Why are you guys even here?"

Ikuto grins. "Why do you think?"

Amu roundhouse kicks him. "You!"

Ikuto hobbles to the nearest bench and sits down. "You took my advice and learned karate, didn't you?"

I walk up to Nagihiko. "When are you going to tell them?"

"You sure change topics fast," Nagihiko says. "Tell them what?"

"If you aren't going to tell them, I—"

"Oh! That!" Nagihiko pales. "Umm…..how about in a decade?"

"How about _now._"

"What! Rima-chan….you…"

"Yes."

Nagihiko takes a deep breath. "Everyone, I have an announcement to make." They all look at him.

"Ace isn't here," Kairi reminds him.

"I'll tell her later. Anyways, I hope you'll accept me for who I am. Hotori, Souma, and Rima-chan already know this."

"Wait, when'd you tell Mashiro?" Kukai calls out, exchanging a glance with Tadase.

"I didn't _tell _her, she found out," Nagihiko says testily. "Anyways, the truth is, I'm Nadeshiko. My family forced me pose as a girl so I could learn how to be graceful and elegant."

"WHAAAT?" Amu faints on the spot.

"Hmmm….it's strange that my database didn't have that information…my research skills are inadequate!" Kairi gasps. I bite my lip. Shoot, I still haven't returned the database to him.

"That weird dancing girl with the naginata was _you_?" Ikuto mutters. "You tried to drown me in a flood of cream!"

"Actually, that was Su," Nagihiko replies.

"Nadeshiko…don't really remember her….oh, were you the girl with the ponytail?" Utau mumbles, rubbing her temples.

Yaya walks over. I grab her lunchbox, take out the thermos of tea and spill it all over Amu's face. She wakes up. "Oh my god, NAGIHIKO IS NADESHIKO? That's so….so awesome! And I was wondering if she was ever going to come back!"

"Huh?" Yaya frowns at Amu. "Amu-chi is saying silly things!"

"Actually, no, Yuiki, I am Nadeshiko." Nagihiko takes out his other Guardian Character—Temari. Temari bows.

"Hello. It's nice to see you again, Yaya-san."

"This is so cool!" Rhythm grins, flying out of Nagihiko's pocket.

"While we're at it, why don't you confess your other thing?" Kukai smirks.

"Yes, you should get it off your chest," Tadase agrees.

"It's not that hard. I've done it before, and it wasn't that bad," Kairi coaxes.

"Well, but I'd have to see her for the rest of the year! _You _left! I can't!" Nagihiko moans.

"Well, he came back a month later, but it wasn't that awkward between us," Amu points out.

I glare at them. "What the heck are you talking about?"

"Just tell her now," Utau groans. "You guys are giving me a headache."

"No! You guys, shut up! If this is the plan Sanjo came up with, it's terrible!" Nagihiko walks away.

Yaya looks at Kairi. Kairi nods. "It's time for drastic measures."

_After school_

"I bet little adorable blonde girls taste fabulous!" Nagihiko cackles.

"That sounds wrong," Ikuto mumbles. He'd come to "help" (more like stare at Amu).

"Cannibal!" I accuse, ignoring Ikuto.

"Yep, that's me!" Nagihiko laughs. "Now do the dishes!"

"That sounds wrong too!" Ikuto says.

"SHUT UP!" Amu shrieks, whacking him with a metal frying pan that was supposed to be a prop.

"Um, the evil stepmother hit the witch's cat with a frying pan," Kairi quickly improvises.

Ikuto Character Changes with Yoru and begins batting at the frying pan like it was a cat toy. We all sweatdrop.

"Gretel! Help! I have claustrophobia!" Tadase wails through the bars of the cage.

I look at him. "Here, this might help." I throw a handful of tea bags into the cage.

"How is this supposed to help?"

"I don't know, I just wanted to give you false hope," I smirk.

"Now let's do the scene where Gretel leaves the stage and Hansel sings a mournful song to the witch!" Amu drags me out.

"There's a scene like that?" Nagihiko and Tadase shout in unison. Tadase begins singing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star."

"It's supposed to be MOURNFUL!" Nagihiko yells.

"Close enough," Kukai mutters. "His singing voice is mournful, at least."

"You're just used to having a pop idol sing for you!" Utau laughs, slipping through the door. She listens to Tadase's off-key voice. "Actually, I take my words back. His singing is beyond repair."

Amu drags me backstage with Yaya pushing me through the curtain. Then they grab two detective-like brown trench coats off the costumes rack and Yaya takes a magnifying glass from the props table.

"Did you make me come back here so we could play detective?" I sweatdrop.

"No! How does Rima-tan really feel about Nagi?"

"What?" _How'd she find out so fast? _"Did you read my diary?"

"…You have a diary?" Amu asks.

"Okay, I don't feel anything for Nagihiko!" I protest.

"Mmmmhmmmm, suuuuuureeee….." they smirk.

"You can tell us the truth, Rima," Amu says kindly.

"Yaya can keep a secret!"

I narrow my eyes at them. "Right…." Just because I'm not going to lie to _myself _about my crush on Nagihiko doesn't mean I'm not going to lie to _them. _"I don't like him."

"Be honest with us!" Amu shouts. "You should tell us your true feelings!"

"No way! What the heck! There's no way I like him!" I shriek, stomping out of the area and onto the stage. Nagihiko is banging his head against the plywood floor, Utau has her headphones firmly clamped onto her head, Kukai has his fingers stuck into his ears and is screaming "SHUT UP" over and over, Kairi is immersed in a thick book on psychology, and Ikuto is still Character Changed with Yoru and playing with a ball of yarn. Tadase is singing loudly and off-key, which explains the behavior of Nagihiko, Utau and Kukai.

"TWINKLE—AHAHAHHA, I'M NOT A PRINCE!—TWINKLE! LITTLE STAR, BOW DOWN TO ME! MUAHAHAHAHA, AFTER I TAKE OVER THE WORLD, I'LL TAKE OVER THE GALAXY, WHICH INCLUDES _YOU,_ LITTLE STAR! AND I DON'T CARE HOW UP ABOVE THE WORLD SO HIGH YOU ARE! YOU CANNOT ESCAPE FROM MY CLUTCHES! AHAHAHAHA! I WANT THE DIAMOND IN THE SKY! "

"Are those the right lyrics?" Amu asks. "I think something's off…."

"Well, NO, OF COURSE Tadase is singing correctly," I say sardonically.

Amu frowns. "Really? Doesn't sound right to me!"

"I was being SARCASTIC."

"Oh."

_March 14__th_

Today Yaya and Amu did the same thing of dragging me backstage, dressing up as detectives, and interrogating me about Nagihiko. Well, _I'm _not telling them anything.

_March 15__th_

Yaya and Amu seem to be really bent on getting me to confess that I like Nagihiko.

_March 16__th_

I'm seriously considering just telling them so I don't have to be subject to this daily torture/questioning anymore.

_March 17__th_

Yay, there's no school today, so Yaya and Amu can't torment me.

Kusukusu helped me make banana-strawberry smoothies. They turned out lime-green though….strange…and tasted like grapes. It was still delicious, though.

_March 19__th_

Shoot, today's the school play. Hakajisho-sensei hasn't been to the rehearsals (more like interrogation sessions), but she appears today for the performance to give us a pep talk. "Hello, students! I have been much honored to teach you young and bright future actors and actresses ("_Teach?"_ Nagihiko mutters) the basic skills. Now, it is up to you to shine out there!"

_Scene 1_

I walk out. "Hi, Hansel!"

Tadase shakes hands with me. "Hello, Mashir—I mean, Gretel. Nice to meet you," he says in a monotone.

"No, you've already met me. We're siblings, remember?" I hiss under my breath.

"Oh, yes. I mean, nice seeing you again."

"We see each other _every day," _I groan. Offstage, I hear Nagihiko stifle a laugh.

"Of course, that's what I meant."

"Anyways, did you hear what Evil Stepmom and Dad were conspiring?"

"Eavesdropping is horrible! Gretel, you're terrible!" Tadase yells.

I sweatdrop. "Uh…yeah…_hypocrite_." It sounded good, okay?

Tadase blinks. "Hypocrite?"

Kukai walks on stage and slaps Tadase gently on the back. "Hotori—I mean, son! Go get me some firewood!"

"But it's too heavy," Tadase whines, walking backstage to get the firewood prop. There's a crash and Tadase stumbles out with a bruise on his forehead.

"Wimp," I mumble.

Kairi walks onstage. "Hansel and Gretel left the house."

"I think I sprained my ankle…." Tadase moans, hopping around on one foot and ignoring Kairi.

I quickly glance at the audience, which wasn't that big to start with. Half of the crowd has already left or is leaving, a few people are laughing, and the rest are sleeping.

"Come on, Hansel, the green-haired boy said we have to leave the house." I drag him away.

Amu, who had just slid onto the stage, snickers and bolts the door behind us. "Now the dreadful children are gone! Let's have some champagne to celebrate!" She takes out two bottles filled with honey-colored liquid.

"NO UNDERAGE DRINKING!" Hakajisho-sensei stomps onto the stage and grabs the bottles out of Amu's grasp. "I'M CONFISCATING THESE! AND YOU KIDS STICK TO THE SCRIPT!"

"The…script?" Kukai asks. "We had a script?"

I facepalm myself.

_Scene 2_

Nagihiko ambles onto the stage. "Hey, blonde kids who've just been abandoned into the woods, I'm a cannibal."

"OMG, YOU'RE A CANNIBAL? I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO MEET ONE IN PERSON! CAN I HAVE YOUR AUTOGRAPH?" Yaya zooms out of the candy-adorned house, holding a pad of paper and a pen.

"You're supposed to be my bodyguard, not my obsessed fan," Nagihiko hisses.

"Do you have food?" Tadase asks Nagihiko desperately.

Nagihiko looks surprised. "Are you talking about yourself?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

I point at the gingerbread house. "Hey Hansel, there's food!"

"That's not food, that's my home!" Nagihiko snaps.

I stroke my chin. "How much is the mortgage? Looks pretty expensive to me."

"Ugh, you should just see it in the summer, when all the chocolate and frosting melts," Nagihiko groans.

"STOP TALKING AND FEED YOUR HUNGRY KING!" guess who?, Character Changed with his Guardian Character, shouts impatiently.

"You're not the one who's going to be fed here," Nagihikoi snaps at him.

"Why does he spontaneously Character Change with Kiseki so frequently?" I ask. "Kind of strange…"

"It's because he hasn't found a girl yet," Ikuto says, opening the peppermint door.

I roll my eyes. Ikuto…..

"I'm being serious," he protests.

"Whatever," I sigh. I turn back to Nagihiko. "Um, so, can we go into your house?"

"Sure thing, darling," he smiles sweetly. If someone smiled like that at me in real life, I would never trust them, let alone go inside their home unaccompanied.

"HEY!" Hakajisho-sensei marches on stage and grabs Ikuto by the ear. "YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE A SEIYO ACADEMY STUDENT!"

"No, I don't," Ikuto agrees.

"ARE YOU ADMITTING THAT YOU ARE A TRESPASSER?"

"Sure, why not?"

"TRY BEING MORE DISCREET, AT LEAST! IF YOU'RE GOING TO TRESPASS IN THE FIRST PLACE, DO IT RIGHT!"

"Okay, thanks for the advice," he says mordantly.

"I MUST ASK YOU TO LEAVE!"

"I must disobey you! I want to stare at Amu some more! She looks good in her evil stepmother costume!"

Amu, who's standing backstage in a black miniskirt and a black sequined off-the-shoulder top, blushes. Whoever did the costuming must've mixed up "partying teenager" with "forty-year-old stepmother."

"Hey, _I _did the costuming!" Nagihiko complains.

"Then why'd you make Amu's costume so….unlike an old stepmother?" I snap. "And stop reading over my shoulder!"

"Ikuto requested me to. Besides, I already had the outfit from my Nadeshiko days."

My eyes widen. "You….wore….that?" I choke on my laughter.

Nagihiko glares at me. "Anyways, we probably should get to scene three."

I shrug. "'Kay."

_Scene 3_

"Mwuahahahaha! I'm going to eat you!" Nagihiko announces.

"Can I be fried?" I request. "Hansel would taste best boiled," I add.

"How would you know?" Ikuto sniggers. Naighiko hits him with her broom.

"Quiet, cat!" Nagihiko looks at me. "Gretel, go and prepare the fire. I'm going to bake both of you."

I roll my eyes. "Um, I'm not really sure how to do that…."

"You stupid damsel!"

"Hey!"

"Here, I'll show you." Nagihiko opens the door to the oven. "You just climb in and…." Nagihiko climbs in the oven. I nod furiously.

"Okay, sure, then what?"

"Then you—"

"Burn the cannibal!" Kukai yells, bursting through the door with a blow torch.

"Hey, Kukai, where'd you get that?" I ask, pointing to the blow torch.

"Under my bed."

I'm not going to even ask. I'm never entering Kukai Souma's home, though.

Amu jumps up and down in front of Kukai. "Stop! The witch is my friend! We go way back, we were roommates in college!"

"And we both flunked out our sophomore year," Nagihiko adds, poking his head out of the oven.

"I don't care!" Kukai exits the stage and comes back with a chainsaw.

"Okay, where'd you get _that_?" I ask, breaking character.

"The back of my closet."

Scary.

Kairi glances at us. "Er, the witch was obliterated."

Nagihiko drops out of the oven dramatically and falls through a trapdoor in the stage. We all bow to the imaginary audience (the spectators patient enough to sit through scene one left during scene two) and exit the stage.

"Bravo, bravo! That was a most excellent performance!" Hakajisho-sensei cheers. We all look at each other.

"Is she insane?" Nagihiko asks me out of the corner of his mouth.

"Probably," I reply.

"And I have no doubt it was all due to my spectacular teaching!"

"The definition of spectacular must be equivalent to nonexistent," Nagihiko mutters under his breath.

"I hope you kids will sign up for Drama Club next semester! We're going to perform Cinderella!"

"Oh, oh, can the Guardians join?" Yaya squeals. "It sounds fun! Yaya wants to be the evil stepmother!"

"NO!" we all yell.


	26. We Bake A Cake Using Vinegar

_Sorry if I'm going overkill with these sleepovers. But this one is pretty important…you'll see why. _

_ Please review ^_^._

_March 20__th_

Today Yaya and Amu kidnapped me. Amu protests that since they'd asked my parents for permission and they'd given it, it was technically not kidnapping, and was not punishable by law.

Well, whatever.

"It's just a sleepover, Rima-tan!" Yaya yells. We're standing in front of Amu's house, arguing.

"That's Yaya-and-Amu code for 'major questioning about Nagihiko.'"

"What?" Nagihiko asks.

"Noth—HEY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

"What _are _you doing here?" Amu asks.

"Hotori told me to come, apparently it's a part of Sanjo's plan."

Yaya and Amu exchange a glance. I frown. "What plan are you talking about?"

"Nothing," all three of them say in unison.

"Look, if you want to lie to me, you're going to have to do better than that."

"Let's just go in," Amu grumbles, dragging Yaya up the stairs.

"Let's bake a cake!" Nagihiko says as soon as he's in the house.

Amu's dad barges down the stairs. "A BOY! A BOY! A BOY IS IN MY HOUSE! AND MY DARLING LITTLE DAUGHTER BROUGHT HIM HERE! IS HE YOUR BOYFRIEND, AMU?"

"What are you talking about?" Nagihiko asks sweetly, gathering his dark hair into a ponytail. "I'm Nadeshiko Fujisaki, Amu's friend and classmate. Nice to meet you, Hinamori-san!"

"Oh, honey, she's a girl," Amu's mom calls down.

"Oh, okay. I was getting really worried there for a minute." Amu's dad wipes his forehead with a towel.

"Anyways, let's bake the cake!" Nagihiko smiles.

"No!" I shriek. My culinary skills are terrible at best and deadly at worst.

"Sounds fun!" Amu cheers, leading us to the kitchen.

"Nagi is good at baking!" Yaya gushes.

"Uh, thanks…" Nagihiko smiles.

We get out the ingredients—flour, eggs, milk, vegetable oil, baking soda, and vinegar (Nagihiko says it'll taste like chocolate, which I seriously doubt, but I'm not exactly in a position to argue)—and begin mixing them. Twenty minutes into the activity, Amu receives a phone call.

"Oh…okay…so he should leave now? 'Kay…Hey, Nagihiko, you've got to go back to the school now. Kukai says they're ready for you."

"What plan has Sanjo come up with that requires this much walking?" Nagihiko mutters.

Nagihiko grabs his jacket from the coat closet and slips out the door. "I'm sorry, I have to leave, Hinamori-san!" he calls to Amu's mom.

"Oh, you're leaving this soon? Send your mother my best wishes!"

Once Nagihiko's left, I stare at the unfinished cake. "Shoot."

"Huh?" Amu says.

"We can't waste these ingredients, but Nagihiko's gone. We'll have to finish the cake by ourselves. And I have a feeling we're all horrible at baking."

_Ten minutes later_

"Uh, how do you crack an egg?" Amu asks.

"Like this!" Yaya snatches it out of Amu's hands and throws it at the wallpapered wall. The egg splatters all over the smooth wooden floor and yellow-and-white striped walls. "See, it's cracked!"

"…WHAT!" Amu and I yell in unison.

"Here, I'll go preheat the oven," I offer. Strolling over to the oven, I squint at the buttons and numbers. "Um, how do you do this?"

Amu sweatdrops. "Here, I'll show you…"

_An hour later_

Amu set the oven temperature to about 260 degrees Celsius (or 500 degrees Fahrenheit) and left the cake in there for nearly an hour. Needless to say, it was burnt and unsalvageable.

"You could've Character Changed with Su!" Su yells.

"What is Rima-tan writing?" Yaya motions at my diary.

"It's just my diary," I reply.

Amu and Yaya exchange a glance.

"Anyways, let's play Truth or Dare!" Yaya squeals.

"NO," Amu and I both say stonily.

"How about we do each other's hair?" Amu suggests.

"Have you completely abandoned your 'Cool and Spicy' character?" I ask.

"That's what you wanted, wasn't it? That night after the fight with Utau? When Dia came back to me?"

I shrug. I'd forgotten about the picture I took with my cell phone of Amulet Angel. "Sure, I guess."

"Can Yaya do Rima-tan's hair? It looks so fun!"

"NO!" I shout.

"Sure, why not, Yaya? Go ahead," Amu says.

Yaya grabs a straightener from Amu's desk. She clamps it on my hair. "The straightener is lazy and isn't working!"

"You have to turn it on first," Amu sweatdrops.

_Seventeen minutes later_

"Rima looks funny!" Kusukusu giggles. I scowl at her. Half of my hair is wavy and half of my hair is straightened.

"It makes you look exotic," Amu tries.

"I'm never letting Yaya anywhere near my hair again," I groan. "Amu, I'm doing your hair next."

"Fine." Amu takes the X-shaped barrette out of her hair, letting her partial side ponytail out. I French braid her hair down the middle, smoothing it out and spraying it with sparkled hairspray once I'm done. I roll the braid up into a bun and secure it with elastic.

"Amu-chi looks pretty!" Yaya says.

"Um, thanks…" Amu grabs a hand mirror and examines herself. "Hey, Rima, you're pretty good at this."

"Thanks," I mumble.

"Let's do Yaya's hair now!" Amu says. I grin sadistically, plotting my revenge.

I take Yaya's hair ribbons out. She looks twelve instead of seven with her hair down, and Amu must realize the same thing. "Yaya, you look so much more mature without your pigtails!"

I take a can of colored hairspray. Yaya now has green stripes in her hair. Amu sees and begins laughing. To finish it off, I gather Yaya's hair into a tight, slick ponytail and wrap a matching green hair elastic around it.

Yaya looks in the mirror. "Rima-tan! Yaya loves her new hairdo!"

We walk downstairs for dinner. Amu's dad drops the platter of shrimp he was carrying when he sees us. "Wh-what happened?"

"We just thought we'd try out some new hairstyles," Amu answers coolly.

"I want one too! One like onee-chan's!" Ami shrieks.

Great. Amu looks at me. "Rima will be happy to do your hair after dinner."

"Hey! I didn't agree to that!" I protest.

"Onee-chan, pweaze?" Ami begs me.

"F-fine," I grumble.

_Forty-six minutes later_

"Onee-chan is awesome!" Ami squeals, checking her new hair out in the mirror. I'd done it in the exact same style as Amu's, except that instead of sparkled hairspray, I'd used pink hairspray. Ami has hot pink highlights running through her light brown hair.

Yaya yawns. "Amu-chi, Yaya is tired!"

Amu glances at the clock. "Well, it _is _almost nine…"

I sigh. "I guess we should go to sleep."

_March 21__st_

I wake up to the sound of Yaya chomping loudly on caramel candy. "This tastes good! Rima-tan, want some?"

"No thanks," I say.

Amu nods at Yaya, and they both immediately change expressions to ones of guilt. I narrow my eyes at them. "Okay, _now _what'd you do?"

"We…uh…." Amu mutters. "Rima….we….sort…of…read….your diary?"


	27. Yaya Unfortunately Discovers Email

I'm silent for a minute. "Wh-what…?"

"I'm sorry! I know it was like a total invasion of your privacy and everything—" I cut Amu off.

"YOU! YOU! YOU TWO! READ MY! DIARY? I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU! I'LL NEVER TRUST YOU TWO AGAIN! NOT THAT I DID BEFORE! DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND THE FIRST THING ABOUT PRIVACY?"

"I'm sorry, Rima. But we only did because we were so curious about your feelings for Nagihiko…which we have to discuss, by the way."

I feel heat radiating from my cheeks. _Shoot, they know now…_"Actually, that wasn't my real diary. I was just writing in it to dupe you guys…"

Amu gives me a _you've-got-to-come-up-with-a-better-lie-than-that _look. "Right."

I scowl. "It's true!"

"Rima-tan should stop denying her feelings for Nagi!"

"All three of us know you like him."

"No! Because I don't!"

"Yes, you do," Amu smirks.

I consider just telling them the truth. How I like Nagihiko. But then word might travel back to him…Amu and Yaya might tell him anyways, now that they know.

I take a deep breath, hoping I won't regret the words I'm about to say next. "Fine. You got me. I like Nagihiko. Don't tell anyone, okay?"

"Of course Yaya won't tell!"

"Here, we'll help you, okay? Because I think he might feel the same way about you," Amu says cheerfully.

"Huh? What? No way. Now that's impossible," I scoff. But there's a tiny ember of hope inside—that maybe Nagihiko really does feel the same way about me.

"No! Nagi even told Yaya—" Amu gives Yaya a _shut-up-we-can't-tell-her-about-that_ look.

"Anyways, it's almost eight, and I have to go home to get ready for school! Bye!" Amu and Yaya rush out the door.

"..."

"There's no school today. It's a Staff Development day," Kusukusu points out.

"If they want to lie to me, they should at least try harder than that," I sigh.

**NAGIHIKO'S JOURNAL**

_March 21st_

"Rima definitely likes you," Amu tells me over the phone. "Hang on; I'm going to call the others for a meeting at the Royal Garden."

_30 minutes later_

"Kairi and Kukai both couldn't make it," Amu shrugs. "Anyways, for those of you who haven't heard, Yaya and I read Rima's diary last night. It said clearly that she likes Nagihiko."

Everyone applauds and Ikuto whistles.

"Are you sure it wasn't a fake diary that she was using to trick you two?" I ask.

"She used that exact same excuse when we told her we read her diary."

"YOU TOLD HER THAT YOU READ HER DIARY?" Utau, Ikuto, and I scream.

"Uh, yeah…" Amu says nervously.

"Well, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO NOW?" I yell.

"Maybe you should confess to her," Utau suggests.

"No! It'd be too awkward, and what if she rejects me?"

"SHE WON'T REJECT YOU!" Amu shouts. "I told you, we're 100% sure that she likes you!"

"Still!"

"Well, then what are we going to do?" Tadase asks.

"Yaya will get Rima-tan to confess to Nagi!" Yaya declares.

"Uh…I don't know if you'll succeed…" Amu says.

"'Yaya will try!"

**RIMA'S DIARY**

_March 22__nd_

Yaya emailed me early this morning.

**HEY RIMA-TAN! YAYA JUST GOT HER FIRST EMAIL ADDRESS! ANYWAYS, YAYA THINKS RIMA-TAN SHOULD CONFESS TO NAGI! BAI-BAI!**

"…" I read the email again. "Which moron showed her how to use the computer?"

I emailed a reply.

**Uh, Yaya, it's considered rude to write in all caps.**

_Four hours later_

**OH, OKAY! THANK YOU RIMA-TAN FOR THE ADVICE! NOW YOU SHOULD GO CONFESS TO NAGI!**

"She didn't even read my email, did she?" I sweatdrop.

_March 23__rd_

Yaya emailed me about confessing to Nagihiko. Twenty-nine times.

My inbox is overflowing.

_March 24__th_

I'm going to kill whoever showed Yaya how to IM. I was just chatting with Nagihiko, Amu, and Kairi online this afternoon when _she _logged on.

**DancingManiac211: **Rima, what was the math homework?

**TheComedyQueen: **…I DON'T KNOW. I never know, baka. Ask Amu.

**Cool_Spicy_Lovely: **Pages 409-412 in the textbook, problems 3-79 odd.

**DancingManiac211: **Oh. Thanks, Amu-chan!

**TheComedyQueen: **Are you SERIOUS? That many problems? Okay, that's it; I'm paying Kairi to do my homework for me.

**SamuraiSanjo: **The way of the samurai is not one that can be bribed, nor is it not one that can be dishonest. I will not aid you in fraudulence by doing your homework for you, which then you will tell your teacher that _you _completed.

**TheComedyQueen: **Oh, come on, Kairi, you did it before!

**SamuraiSanjo: **Musashi gave me a lecture on it afterwards. I'll be happy to _help _you with your homework if you don't understand it, but I will not do it for you.

**TheComedyQueen: **No, it's okay, it's not that I don't understand it, I'm just too lazy to do it.

_**SugarCupcakes413998 **__is logging on_

**DancingManiac211: **Who's that?

**SugarCupcakes413998:** YAYA! HEY RIMA-TAN, WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO CONFESS TO NAGI?

**TheComedyQueen:** …Huh? What are you talking about?

**SamuraiSanjo: **Ace! You aren't supposed to execute that part of the plan yet!

**SugarCupcakes413998: **Call me Yaya! Not Ace, not Yaya-senpai, not Yaya-san! Just Yaya!

**Cool_Spicy_Lovely: **You two! You know Nagihiko and Rima are online, reading what you guys are writing right now, RIGHT? So shut up! Or just privately email each other or something! Seriously!

**TheComedyQueen: **What are you guys talking about?

**DancingManiac211: **Got to go, dance practice.

_**DancingManiac211 **__has logged off_

**TheComedyQueen: **…I'm leaving too! Kusukusu wants to make another smoothie!

_**TheComedyQueen **__has logged off_

SHE PRACTICALLY TOLD NAGIHIKO AND KAIRI THAT I LIKE NAGIHIKO! WHAT IS WRONG WITH HER? I'M NEVER TRUSTING HER AGAIN!

_March 25__th_

Kusukusu and I made three smoothies today.

_Smoothie Number One: Blueberry-Raspberry_

We combined three handfuls of blueberries with four handfuls of blueberries, and pressed "Chop" on the blender.

Did I mention our blender has a small capacity, and also really sucks?

We then spent an hour washing off the berry stains on the wall.

_Smoothie Number Two: Banana-Orange_

We threw two bananas and five oranges into the blender, and selected the "Grind" function.

The blender began smoking. Not like with a cigarette but like grayish-white smoke billowed out of the base.

I spent thirty-five minutes explaining to the firefighters what had happened, which made me miss my second-favorite comedy sketch. Hmmph.

_ Smoothie Number Three: I Have No Clue What We Put In It, I Think Kusukusu Added Soy Sauce_

It tasted pretty good though.


	28. Yaya Sets A New World Record

_March 26__th_

Today I woke up at eleven. Marching to Mom's bedroom, I yelled, "MOM! WHY DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME UP! SCHOOL STARTS AT EIGHT AND I'M GOING TO BE LATE!"

"Today's a snow day," Mom muttered.

"Huh?" I march over to the window and pull open the curtain. Sure enough, a layer of pristine white snow was blanketed on the ground. "IT'S ALMOST APRIL! WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PLACE?"

So I just stayed inside and read gag comic online.

_March 27__th_

It was still snowing. Kusukusu begged me to go outside so I bundled up and had a couple rounds of snowball fights with her. Then Amu, Ami, Ran, Miki, and Su came and we built an igloo together.

_March 28__th_

Today the school district called and said that our spring break has been scheduled from April 9th-April 18th. We usually have a three-day spring break. I guess it's due to budget cuts.

Then Yaya emailed us all.

**HEY EVERYONE! YAYA WANTS TO GO CAMPING FOR SPRING BREAK, WHO WANTS TO COME WITH HER?**

I've never been camping before. So I replied:

**Is there going to be an adult?**

Yaya messaged back almost right away:

**NOO! YAYA'S PARENTS SAY IT'S OKAY THOUGH!**

...

"What kind of irresponsible people are her parents?"

_March 29__th_

There was still snow on the ground, but since today was Tadase's birthday and we'd all planned a party for him at Kukai's house, I grabbed my coat and dashed over to Kukai's.

"My brothers left to run some errands," he explains as he opens up the door. "Fujisaki and Hinamori are already here."

"Hey, Rima!" Amu says happily. "What'd you get Tadase?"

"Not telling," I say. I had gotten him a gag comic based on a selfish prince.

"Amu-chan forgot to give him anything because she was too busy going on her date at a romantic diner with Ik—"

"Shut up, Miki!"

"Here, you can give him this." I reach into my tote and hand her the book of smoothie recipes. None of them turned out right anyways, and the blender was broken.

"Oh, thanks, Rima!"

Yaya dashes into the room. "Hi everyone!"

"Hey, Yaya. What'd you get Tadase?" Amu asks.

"A cute stuffed doggy!" Yaya holds up a white stuffed poodle.

"I got him a foot massager, so I won't have to do it myself," Nagihiko pipes up.

"But…isn't that sort of…expensive?" Amu asks once the silence gets too long.

"I bought one marked down 90% off the Internet," Nagihiko shrugs.

"Nagi's a cheapskate!" Yaya shrieks, jumping on top of him. For some reason, this common action of Yaya's makes me uncomfortable…or maybe the feeling would be better described as angry…

Don't tell me I'm turning possessive. That would be a nightmare.

Kairi walks in. "King is turning thirteen, correct?" Kairi asks Yaya.

"Don't tell me he didn't actually know that," Nagihiko whispers to Amu and me.

"It's obviously an excuse for him to talk to her," Amu shrugs.

"It's sort of cute…" I mutter.

Amu begins having a coughing/laughing fit (I heard the words "Speak for yourself" and "Takes one to know one" mixed in) and has to go stagger into the kitchen for a drink of water. I glance at Nagihiko. "Uh, what's with her?"

Nagihiko shakes his head. "I have absolutely no clue."

Kukai rushes in. "So everyone is here besides Ikuto and Utau, right?"

"Yes," Kairi answers.

Just then, the doorbell rings. "Ugh, we would've been here earlier if Ikuto hadn't insisted on driving. He drives so fast, everything's a blur."

We look at each other, amazed. If Ikuto's driving is fast to _Utau_, who drives 105 kilometers per hour when she's not even on the highway, well, I'm never going to sit in a car with Ikuto as the driver.

"Then why would you be _late_?" Kukai asks.

"Ikuto got fourteen speeding tickets."

"Hey, that's better than my usual eighteen!" Ikuto protests.

"I'm so glad I walked to the restaurant for our date," Amu murmurs.

"You have a fake license, don't you?" Nagihiko says. "'Cause you aren't eighteen yet."

Ikuto nods and takes out a realistic-looking license. "There was a digital media design room in the main Easter building, back when Utau and I still worked for them. We snuck in and created the licenses there. Also made two fake passports and birth certificates."

"The techniques Easter uses for digital media are very advanced," Kairi explains. "They change dark X-egg energy into a form compatible with their computers."

"Anyways, Yaya, I saw your email about the camping trip. My parents say its okay as long as they don't have to pay ("Cheapskates," Utau comments) and if there's an adult. Also, my dad wanted no boys, but my mom overrode his demand," Amu says.

"Yaya hasn't figured out a money plan yet! There won't be any adults, isn't that cool?"

"AND YOUR PARENTS ARE OKAY WITH THAT?" we all shout in unison.

"Yeah, Yaya told them Ikuto was eighteen! Only after she had told her parents did she check with Amu and figure out that Ikuto was still seventeen!"

"Oh…well…I'll use the same method with my parents," Kukai shrugs.

"Our parents couldn't possibly care less where we went," Utau says.

"I'll just tell them Ikuto's an adult, I guess," I say. Okay, okay, I know, that's really manipulative and deceitful, but I've never been camping before and I really want to go. Plus the last time I went on a vacation was in first grade.

"…Fine," Amu says reluctantly. "I'll do it."

"A samurai does not lie," Kairi states firmly.

"Come on, Kairi, it'll be so much more fun with you there!" Amu begs.

"How about if…we get your sister to come along with us? Then none of us will have to lie," Nagihiko suggests.

"Yeah, that'd work out better than Ikuto pretending to be eighteen," Kukai agrees. He glances at the clock. "Shoot, it's already two! My brothers will be back at three, and trust me, the party will run much more smoothly if they aren't here. Last time Tadase came, they thought he was a girl and asked me to introduce them to 'my girlfriend' and said that she was hot! I'm serious, they're psycho!" He picks up the phone and dials Tadase.

"Hello, Hotori residence?" A woman answers.

"Hey, this is Kukai Souma, Tadase's servan—friend, could I speak to him please?"

"Sure! Tadase-kun, phone call!" There's the sound of footsteps.

"Souma-kun?" Tadase answers hesitantly.

"The one and the same! Hey, do you want to come over? I think you left your coat at my house last time," Kukai says cheerfully.

"…But I'm wearing my coat right now…" Tadase replies.

Nagihiko, Utau, and I all facepalm ourselves. "Is that the best you can do?" I hiss at Kukai. Kukai motions me to stay silent.

"Uh, yeah. Actually, I needed help with the architectural design we're supposed to do for art; I'm having trouble with the measurements. I just used the coat as an excuse to make me sound less stupid," Kukai says.

"I'm not great with math, why don't you ask Sanjo-kun?"

"No, he, uh, had to go grocery shopping for his sister."

"Okay then, but I can't guarantee I'll be able to help you. I'll be over at your house in ten minutes."

"Sure, thanks, Hotori!" Kukai hangs up. "Quick, everyone, hide!"

Nagihiko chooses to hide behind the couch. Amu, Utau, and Kairi disappear off to who knows where. Ikuto leaps onto the roof. Yaya crouches behind a potted plant, which obviously doesn't hide her very well. I bite my lip, choosing a spot. Finally, I just dive behind the couch along with Nagihiko.

"You chose to hide here because of me," Nagihiko teases. I feel my cheeks begin to burn.

"N-no, it's just that there weren't any other hiding places left!" I protest.

"Haha, your cheeks are red. You look like a rose."

I stare at him strangely. "Usually people describe it as a tomato or a brick, not a rose."

Nagihiko shrugs. "My similes need work. But a rose fits you better…more elegant, more beautiful…at least more than a tomato or brick."

I feel my cheeks rise in temperature by about three degrees, which is something I don't need. "Y-you're talking about yourself! At least, when you were dancing…on stage, you were fabulous…elegant and beautiful." It's weird calling a boy beautiful, but that's what he was.

"Well, no, it's not that, I'm…" Nagihiko looks down. "Actually, never mind."

We awkwardly sit next to each other until Tadase arrives. My eyes don't ever slide over to Nagihiko's direction, but I'm thinking about him. He called me beautiful…and elegant…was it possible that he'd been trying to…trying to…_flirt_ with me? Or maybe he was joking…yeah, of course that was it. He'd been joking.

The doorbell rings, and Kukai rushes over to it. "Hey, Tadase! Basically, I was wondering how you measured the circumference of a circle…yeah, I need it for the base of my Roman-style columns…" He leads Tadase to the living room, where we're all hiding.

We jump out of our various places and shout "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

Kiseki points accusingly at Kukai and Kairi. "Souma-kun said Sanjo-kun was out shopping for his sister! You two dared lie to your king!"

"We can finally eat the cake Nagi baked!" Yaya yells, making a beeline for the kitchen.

"W-wait, Yaya, we have to put the candles on and let Tadase blow them out first…" Amu says. But by the time the rest of us arrive in the kitchen, Yaya's chin is covered in cream and chocolate sauce and half of the 18-inch sheet cake is gone.

"That's got to be some kind of record," I mutter.


	29. Gothic American Triplets Annoy Me

_April 2__nd_

Ugh, Nikaidou-sensei has recently been giving us so much HOMEWORK, it's got me staying up until two a.m. to do it all. As a result, I can't write in my diary as often.

Today, Tadase announced the enrollment of three new foreigners from America. "They're triplets named Daisy, Rose, and Lily Stone. They are all fourteen, and will be in the eighth grade Star Class."

"We should show them around the school. I bet they know hardly any English. I felt so lonely when I first came," Amu says.

"Yeah, that'd be good," Nagihiko agrees.

"That's quite hospitable," Kairi comments.

"Okay, so they'll be arriving on the Monday after spring break—April 21st," Tadase says.

"Yaya is so excited! She bets they'll be way interesting!"

"I'm not," I grumble. "They'll probably be all goth with black lipstick and chopped dyed black hair with the blonde roots showing."

"…"

"You know, just because they portray Americans that way on comedy dramas doesn't mean all Americans actually are like that," Nagihiko points out.*

"That's offensive!" Tadase shouts. "I'm part American!"

"…You are?" Nagihiko, Amu, Utau (no clue what _she's _doing here), Kukai and I ask in unison.

"Yes, my great-grandfather was American! That's where my blonde hair came from!"

"Oh, I'd just assumed it was a recessive allele like Queen's…" Kairi mutters, then he and Tadase begin having some conversation on genetics or something.

"Where'd _your _blonde hair come from?" Amu asks me. "And what about you, Utau?"

"I don't know, honestly I think my mother had an affair with some foreigner," Utau shrugs. "I wouldn't put it past her."

"…I don't know why my hair's this color," I mumble.

"No, that's RNA," Nagihiko corrects Tadase, who is still debating with Kairi.

"Are all the guys here so GEEKY?" I groan, pretending to be disgusted by Nagihiko's nerdiness. The truth is, I find it kind of hot.

Okay, what am I turning into? Some hormone-raging adolescent?

"Not him." Utau points at Kukai.

"Yeah, he seems like he's only good at sports and nothing else," I agree.

"Hey! That's not necessarily true!" Kukai protests.

"_Necessarily?_"

"Nagi and Rima-tan should go out on a date! They'd be so cute!" Yaya shrieks randomly.

"_That _was your big idea?" Amu yells. "Yaya, you should've just let Kairi and Kukai work on the Rima and Nagi—" She stops, looking guiltily at me. "Uh, uh, never mind, Rima! We aren't talking about anything!"

"Right, of course you aren't," I say acerbically. "Nagihiko and I would _not _look cute together, and if you bring something like that up one more time, I'm going to Character Transform and pelt you with bowling pins."

"Eek, scary! Rima-tan isn't cute at all when she has fire in her eyes!"

"Tch, whatever."

_April 3__rd_

"I got the portraits of the triplet girls," Tadase declares.

"Let Yaya see!"

"Why's everyone making such a fuss about them?" I complain.

"Jealous?" Ikuto asks, raising his eyebrows.

"No! What are you doing here?" I ask, and then realize that I rarely talk to Ikuto, if ever.

"Do you have to ask?" He gestures to Amu, who's busy examining the photos of the Stone triplets. "She looks hot in that short skirt. I can't believe the school would issue such a revealing skirt—but I'm not complaining."

"Perv!" I shriek, marching over to Tadase. I peer at the photos, and I have to admit, the girls are pretty. They look identical besides their hair colors. I point at the one in the middle, the one with neon green hair. "Which one is she?"

"That's Lily," Tadase answers.

Utau points at the one with neon blue hair. "Her?"

"Daisy."

"Oh, so she's Rose?" Amu asks, tapping the girl with neon pink hair.

"Yes."

"Ha, they _don't _look like poor homeless black-haired girls with white lipstick," Nagihiko smirks at me.

"That wasn't my prediction," I mutter. "It was black lipstick, and I never said they were poor or homeless."

Ikuto points at Rose and whistles. "She's gorgeous."

Amu glares at Ikuto. "What?"

"You've got to admit, she's got a better rack than you…I mean, not that you aren't totally pretty or anything. I'm just teasing, Amu, you're the one I want!"

"That's out of character," Tadase notes. "The way he's assuring Amu, I mean."

"Tch, whatever," I say apathetically, still ticked off over all the attention the Stone girls were getting—almost as much as I got when I first arrived at Seiyo.

So much homework it's not funny. And I can't even make a smoothie to give me energy, so I have to stick with a granola bar that tastes like chocolate-flavored sawdust.

_*I don't actually know how Americans are portrayed on Japanese comedy dramas. _

_It's been a month since I've started this...and I'm almost finished! I'm estimating twenty more chapters at the most...I thought this would take me a year or so. I don't want to finish this just yet! But I do have a sequel planned, yay._

_Please review!_


	30. Apparently Ikuto Pickpockets

_April 7th_

"Has everyone packed yet?" Yaya shrieks. "The group is leaving the day after tomorrow!"

"I haven't even told my parents yet," I shrug.

"Same," Kukai pipes in.

"I haven't finished packing yet," Nagihiko says.

"Me neither," Tadase says.

"I've already finished, thanks to Su," Amu grins. Su takes a little bow.

"Ugh, I wish I had a Guardian Character who could clean my room," Kukai comments jealously.

"And who tried to drown your boyfriend in a flood of cream," Ikuto adds.

"You weren't my boyfriend back then, and she wasn't actually trying to _drown _you," Amu corrects. "Her survival instincts kicked in."

"I'd never heard of someone's survival instincts being to create gallons of cream," Nagihiko laughs.

_Two hours later_

"Uh, Mom, basically, I'm going on this camping trip with the Guardians—"

"That's the weird club you joined right? With the juvenile delinquents?"

"Um, they aren't juvenile delinquents…"

"Absolutely not. You aren't going anywhere!"

"But, Mom—"

"No buts!"

"I…" I look down. "Yes, Mom."

"Rima! Rima! Look! A funny face!" Kusukusu squeals, pulling her lips apart and sticking her tongue out, scrunching up her nose.

I smile weakly. But I've never been camping, and my parents never take me on vacation.

_April 8__th_

"What? You can't go? Why not?" Amu asks.

"My parents think you guys are juvenile delinquents," I mumble.

"That actually is true for some of us," Nagihiko says, looking meaningfully at Ikuto, the notorious pickpocketer.

"I only pickpocket for fun!" he protests. "Then I pretend whatever it was fell out of their pockets and hand it back."

"That's what he does, most of the time," Yoru agrees.

"_Most of the time_?" Nagihiko scoffs. Then he looks at me. "No way are you not coming on this trip, Rima-chan. We'll find some way."

"Why do you care so much about her coming?" Utau teases. Nagihiko glares at her.

"Because the Guardians should stay together, and I don't want anyone to be left behind."

"How are you going to convince my parents to let me go camping?" I ask.

"We're not necessarily going to convince your parents to let you go…" Ikuto says mysteriously.

I swallow, sure that I'm going to hate whatever they've got planned, but equally sure that I won't be able to do anything about it. "Just promise me you won't do anything illegal, okay?"

Kukai flashes me a bright smile. "Sure thing."

_Sorry, this chapter has got to be the shortest I've ever written for this story! But I'll make it up next chapter with a…sort of long chapter. But here's a preview because I'm bored._

_**"Where'd Tadase go?" Amu asks.**_

_** I shrug. "I'm not sure, he left about an hour ago."**_

_** "He was with some girl," Kukai adds. "I think she was a brunette. Or no, was she blonde…"**_

_** "THOSE ARE TWO EXTREMELY DIFFERENT HAIR COLORS!" Nagihiko, Amu, Utau, and I yell in unison.**_

_** "It's about time. I was wondering if that kiddie king would ever find love," Ikuto murmurs.**_

_** "I thought you quit calling him that," Amu says.**_

_** "It's more of a friendly nickname now," Ikuto replies.**_

_** "Just because he was with a girl doesn't mean he's in love with her," Nagihiko points out. "Knowing Souma, he probably got the genders wrong."**_

_** "No, I'm sure. She had hair like Yukari-san," Kukai says.**_

_** "Maybe it was her," Amu suggests.**_

_** "No, she was shorter…I think…"**_

_** "What would King be doing with nee-san?" Kairi mutters.**_


	31. We Find That Most Of Us Suck At Driving

_April 9__th_

I woke up to the sound of someone choking.

Utau's voice comes out of the darkness. "Moron, you shouldn't have given her that many popsicles. What were you thinking?"

"Well, it was either that or they would've gone to waste," Kukai's voice protests.

"I think I can help," Kairi's voice volunteers. "Okay, just hold her down…there, the stick's out."

"Class President!" Yaya gushes.

I open my window and stick my head out. "WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU GUYS DOING?"

"Trying to get you out of there. Talk about ungrateful," Kukai grumbles.

"How?" I sneer.

Nagihiko suddenly comes running into view. "Here, I stole a ladder from her neighbors. I don't think they'll notice...I hope."

"And you call me a juvenile delinquent," Ikuto smirks.

"Rima-chan, just climb down the ladder, 'kay?" Nagihiko calls up, ignoring Ikuto.

I shrug, grab the suitcase filled with clothes and gag comics that I had packed last night, and begin climbing down the ladder. My grip is slippery and I'm afraid I'll fall.

Nagihiko must realize the same thing, because he yells, "Rima-chan, just throw the suitcase down!"

I let go of the yellow-and-green polka-dotted luggage. It falls on Tadase's head. "Ouch!"

Oops.

I quickly slide down the ladder, and Nagihiko takes my hand, sending a shiver up my arm. "Rima-chan, we've got to go. Utau, where's the van you rented?"

"Out in the front lawn," she says. "Kukai, grab the pipsqueak's luggage."

"_Pipsqueak_?" I snarl.

"Hey, I like that nickname," Ikuto says. "The blonde pipsqueak!"

Nagihiko smirks at me, and I glare back.

"And the purple-haired crossdresser," Utau laughs. I grin at Nagihiko, who glares back.

We run to the minivan and pull open the door. Then I realize a crucial detail. "Wait, Kairi, where's your sister?"

"Oh, she's meeting us there," he says.

"THEN WHO'S GOING TO DRIVE?"

Kairi swallows. "I can't believe I forgot that specific problem…I'm getting distracted by Ace…"

Nagihiko raises his eyebrows. "What?"

Kairi blushes, a faint pink outlining his high cheekbones. "I just have to tutor her every other weekday afternoon."

"Oh, I thought you meant something else," Ikuto mutters.

"It's not like that," Kairi stammers.

"I'll drive," Utau volunteers.

"NO!" Ikuto, Kairi, Amu, Yaya, and I yell in unison.

"I've never been in a car where Utau's the driver," Kukai shrugs. "It sounds interesting."

"Why don't we have Utau drive? It's either that or Ikuto, right?" Nagihiko says.

"She drives so—" Amu begins.

"Yaya nearly threw up—"

"She breaks so many laws—"

"I'm driving," Utau says firmly, sliding into the driver's seat. Ikuto sits in the passenger's seat and that's when I realize another problem.

"Um, this minivan is a six-seater."

"So?" Utau yells over the blast of heavy metal.

"We have eight people."

"Here, pipsqueak can sit on crossdresser's lap and the baby can sit on green-haired genius's lap. Doesn't seem like you four would mind," Ikuto smirks.

"NO!" I yell.

"Whatever, get in and sit somewhere. I'm leaving!" Utau sticks the key in the ignition and the engines roar.

I ended up sitting on the car floor. Yaya sat on Amu's lap.

Utau slams onto the gas pedal, and we zoom forward.

"WE'RE GOING TO DIE! I REGRET NEVER BEING ABLE TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD NOR STEAL AMU'S HEART! I WANT A FUNERAL WITH ALL 30,000 OF MY SUBJECTS THERE AND WHITE ROSES STREWN EVERYWHERE!" Tadase, Character Changed with Kiseki, yells.

"I really wish I had a seatbelt," I mutter.

"Amu-chi, is it okay if Yaya vomits all over you?" Yaya asks.

"WHAT? GET OFF!" Amu shrieks, pushing Yaya onto Kairi.

Nagihiko shrugs and pulls out a book on the history of Japanese dancing.

"HOW CAN YOU READ?" I shout at him.

"Um, I'm sort of bored, because even though you guys are pretty entertaining, I see enough of this stuff at the Royal Garden?"

"What does that mean? Aren't you affected at all by her driving?" Amu yells.

Nagihiko shrugs, absentmindedly pulling his hair into a high ponytail with a red hair elastic.

"Go faster! Go faster!" Ikuto urges Utau.

"DON'T LISTEN TO HIM!" Amu and I shout in unison.

"LISTEN TO ME, YOUR KING! HAHAHAHA!" Tadase hollers.

I turn to look at him, and then I see Kukai. He's asleep.

WHAT? How…how…UGH!

"Why does Tadase always Character Change randomly? It's pretty worrying…" Amu notes.

Kairi pushes up his glasses. "It's because he hasn't found love yet, so his heart is unstable, getting his dreams muddled."

"He should date that hot girl from that reality show," Ikuto mutters.

"No, celebrities aren't good for him, they'd just inflate his ego even more," Nagihiko argues.

"Let someone else drive!" I shriek.

"I will," Ikuto says.

"BESIDES YOU!"

"Nobody else has a license…"

"There are hardly any road patrollers in this rural part of the road, so it doesn't matter," Nagihiko points out. "I'll drive, it looks fun."

"WHAT?"

"Let the twelve-year-old crossdresser drive. It'd be interesting to see how bad he is," Ikuto grins.

"Better than you, at least," Nagihiko snarls, grabbing the wheel.

_Thirty minutes later_

He actually drove quite normally until Kukai challenged him to a game of basketball after we got to the camping area. He Character Changed with Rhythm and began swerving around like he was drunk.

"I'll drive," I say.

"Your legs are too short, they can't reach the brake," Utau laughs.

I scowl, because she's right.

"Yaya'll drive!"

"You're on a sugar high," Amu points out.

"So?"

"You can't drive."

"Let the green-haired genius drive," Ikuto suggests.

Kairi swallows. "What…me?"

_Twenty-four minutes later_

He, Tadase, and Nagihiko got into this big debate about Asperger's Syndrome or something. The rest of us decided that it wasn't safe for him to drive while he was arguing about the percentages for eight-to-ten-year-olds with the ability to speak, so he got denounced of the driver's seat.

"I'll drive!" Amu volunteers.

"Yeah! Let's do this!" Ran shouts, Character Changing with Amu.

_Two hours later_

Amu is actually pretty good at driving. At least, the Amu who's Character Changed with Ran is.

"Do you have an Ace?" Nagihiko asks me. We're playing Go Fish.

I scowl and hand over my three Aces. Nagihiko sticks his tongue out at me. "I win."

I roll my eyes and survey the scene. Kukai's still sleeping. Yaya and I drew a mustache and goatee on him about thirty minutes ago.

Kairi's reading a book on anatomy, using a green highlighter to mark important parts and taking notes in a small black notebook.

Yaya's sucking a lollipop and watching Kairi work.

Utau's listening to her mp3 player, her violet eyes darting back and forth at all of us suspiciously.

Ikuto's talking to Amu, smirking and laughing. Amu's blushing like crazy, and Miki, Su, and Ran are all in shock over something Ikuto just said.

Tadase is miserably watching Ikuto and Amu. Poor guy. He does need a girl, like Kairi said.

"Oh, we're here!" Amu says cheerfully. The heart in her hair changes into a spade. "I want to paint the scenery!"

"Let's wake up Kukai," Utau says mischievously. She grabs the cup of coffee she hadn't touched. I grab my half-full cup of hot chocolate. Yaya grabs her water bottle. "On three?"

"One…two…three…" we pour the liquids all over his mustache. He sputters and looks at us.

"Was I asleep for the entire ride?"

"Yes," Amu answers. "Uh, Kukai, you probably should clean yourself up. The bathroom's over there." She points to a small cabin in the distance.

"Let's go on a hike!" Nagihiko says.

"YEAH!" Yaya shouts.

"I want to study the topography," Kairi agrees.

"Fine," I grumble.

"I need to write my new song," Utau says.

"Amu and I need to find a secluded, obscure corner," Ikuto says.

"NO! I'm going on the hike to find a good place to paint! I'm only twelve, Ikuto!"

"I'll go on the hike," Tadase shrugs. His eyes are still sad. Something's got to be done about him.

_Forty-five minutes later_

"This is the perfect place to paint!" Amu gushes, sitting down at the ledge and grabbing out a canvas from her messenger bag.

"Where'd Tadase go?" Nagihiko suddenly asks.

"Let's go down and search for him," Amu suggests, packing up her art supplies.

Miki scowls. "Come on, we'd just found the perfect location!"

_Forty minutes later_

"He was with some girl," Kukai says. "I think she was a brunette. Or no, was she blonde…"

"THOSE ARE TWO EXTREMELY DIFFERENT HAIR COLORS!" Nagihiko, Amu, Utau, and I yell in unison.

"It's about time. I was wondering if that kiddie king would ever find love," Ikuto murmurs.

"I thought you quit calling him that," Amu says.

"It's more of a friendly nickname now," Ikuto replies.

"Just because he was with a girl doesn't mean he's in love with her," Nagihiko points out. "Knowing Souma, he probably got the genders wrong."

"No, I'm sure. She had hair like Yukari-san," Kukai says.

"Maybe it was her," Amu suggests.

"No, she was shorter…I think…"

"What would King be doing with nee-san?" Kairi mutters.


	32. Kusukusu Juggles Kukai's Old Gym Socks

"Yay, I got more than fifty reviews!" Nintai-chan cheers.

"…Where'd _you _come from?" I ask her rudely. "You're supposed to be sitting at your desk, doing your essay on Shakespeare's writing style."

"I'm procrastinating," she admits guiltily. "Anyways, everyone, listen up, I have an announcement."

No one besides Kairi pays any attention to her.

"Here, use this," I offer, handing her a megaphone.

"Where'd you get _that _from?" Nintai-chan asks, amazed.

"I think Kusukusu packed it in my already bulging suitcase," I grumble, narrowing my eyes at my Guardian Character. She immediately pretends to be juggling Kukai's old gym socks.

I bet they smell bad. Ha, that'll teach her to pack random things in my luggage.

"Okay…anyways, everyone, HEY! LISTEN UP!" she yells through the red megaphone. Amu jumps a foot in the air, does a 360, and waves at Nintai-chan.

And she wasn't even Character Changed with Ran. Amazing, huh?

"Anyways, I'm going on hiatus," Nintai-chan announces in a not-so-subtle way.

"…What's that?" Yaya asks.

"It's like a break," Nagihiko explains. Then he looks at her, his chocolate brown eyes wide. "Wait…_what_?"

"I want to stop working on this for a few weeks so I can concentrate on my schoolwork and other fan fics," Nintai-chan says.

"And Yaya really wanted to know where Tadase went!"

"He went to the place where girls dance and let you—" Ikuto begins. Utau slaps him.

"She's too young to know about that!"

"Yaya's not too young! She can even stay up until ten on weekends!"

"Impressive," Nagihiko agrees, not a trace of sarcasm in his voice.

"Can I speak with you for a minute?" I ask Nintai-chan sweetly. She swallows nervously and nods, apprehensive.

Well, she _should _be.

Once we're far away from the others, I begin to rant. "YOU! YOU! I DON'T BELIEVE YOU! WILL YOU JUST HURRY UP AND LET ME AND NAGIHIKO END UP TOGETHER!"

She shrugs. "You can't be 100% sure he feels the same way about you."

I scowl, because she's right. I _don't _know Nagihiko's feelings for me. Perhaps he's had a secret crush on Amu since she moved here and likes me as a friend and that's it. But I can wish, right?

"You can wish, but you have to be prepared in case your hopes are dashed," Nintai-chan says.

"Are you reading over my shoulder? Ugh, you're just like Nagihiko!"

She shrugs again. "You weren't making _any _effort to conceal what you were writing."

Hmmmph. I really hate her sometimes.


	33. I Actually Miss Tadase's Insane Laughter

"I was getting tired of not writing, so I've decided to come off of break," Nintai-chan announces again five minutes later.

"Some break," I mutter.

"But there'll be more days between updates. Until mid-June at least, when school gets out," she adds. "My parents will kill me if I don't get straight A's…"

"Whatever, they honestly don't care _why_," Utau says. "Just freaking write!"

"Fine," Nintai-chan sighs, throwing a notebook filled with cramped writing, pictures, and graphs at Kairi. "Oh, and Kairi, that's the database on Nadeshiko/Nagihiko _someone _stole from you." She begins coughing pointedly in my direction.

Shoot. At least she didn't tell him who it was. Nagihiko and Amu would never let me live it down.

"It was Rima, by the way," she says, smirking at me.

I'm going to murder her later.

"Anyways, I've got to go finish my analysis on the connection between magnetism and electricity for science, so you guys continue." She leaves.

"…There's a connection between magnetism and electricity?" Kukai asks.

"Yes, these two fields are strongly connected, and their bonds are present in—" Kairi begins.

"Anyways, where's Tadase?" I cut him off impatiently.

"He was with a girl," Amu tries.

"Helpful," Nagihiko says sarcastically.

"He was with a _blonde_ girl. Or maybe she was a brunette," Kukai attempts.

"That's even more helpful," I sneer mordantly.

"Let's just yell 'Prince' loudly and see in which direction comes the insane laughter," Utau suggests.

"I like that idea," Nagihiko grins—somewhat sadistically, I might add. "On three?"

We nod. "One…two…three! PRINCE! PRINCE! PRINCE!"

No insane laughter.

"Again?" Ikuto shrugs.

"One…two…three…PRINCE! PRINCE! PRINCE! PRINCE!"

An old lady and her dog walk past us, looking at us like we're paranoid. But I guess I'd think the same if I came across a group of 5th,6th,7th,8th,9th, and 12th graders (well actually I'm not sure if Ikuto is yelling) yelling "One…two…three…PRINCE! PRINCE! PRINCE!" at the top of their lungs and then listening for insane laughter. Although I don't think she knew the last part about the insane laughter.

"I guess that idea won't work," Amu sighs. "Why don't we split up and look for him?"

"Utau and Kukai could be a group, Nagihiko and Rima, Kairi and Yaya, Amu and I," Ikuto says.

"I don't want to work with him," I grumble. And it was true—being around him did not help me concentrate.

"Yay, Kairi!" Yaya squeals, jumping on top of him.

He blushes. "Yaya-senpai…"

"Just Yaya!"

"Yaya…please refrain from jumping on top of me," he says.

"Please, guys, _don't _leave me alone with Ikuto!" Amu pleads.

"Please leave her alone with me!" Ikuto says, smiling.

"We're off, bye!" Kukai and Utau rush off.

"They didn't even take a map…" Nagihiko mutters, holding up several maps he'd taken from the information center. "They are _so _going to get lost."

"Come on, Amu, let's go!" Ikuto says, dragging her away.

"_They_ didn't take a map either!" Nagihiko groans. "Did I steal these for nothing?"

"We'll take one," Kairi offers, holding up his hand. Nagihiko hands him one. "See you later, Queen and Jack." They left, with Yaya skipping behind Kairi.

Nagihiko smiles at me. "That leaves three maps for us."

"Great," I mumble, snatching one out of his hands.

"Let's take the eastern trail," Nagihiko says.

"Why? I want to take the western trail," I snarl, being contrary deliberately.

"That's the trail Kukai and Utau are covering."

"Then what about the southern trail?"

"Kairi and Yaya are covering that one."

"And Ikuto and Amu must be covering the northern trail," I say.

"You catch on easily," he says acerbically. "So let's go." He took my hand, sending a shock of electricity up my arm. Usually I'd yank my hand out of his, but today I decided not to. He looked at me, his mocha brown eyes clouded.

_Next chapter, I'll be writing from third person so that I can write about each couple's experience in the woods. I'm really looking forward to the Kaiya segment…but Kutau won't be bad, either. I got tired of just writing my Artemis Fowl "Not A Blonde Brat Anymore" and I have writer's block on "Because Rima Looks For Intelligence In A Guy" so I decided to begin writing this one again._


	34. Yaya Confesses Unknowingly

"Which path should we take?" Utau asks Kukai. They'd been fine until they came across a fork. Now they were stuck deciding which trail they should continue on.

Kukai shrugs and pulls out his wallet. "I don't know."

"What are you doing? Do you think you could bribe the wild animals to tell you which path it is?" Utau sneers.

"No. Why don't we flip a coin? Tails is the left path, heads is the right."

Utau sighs. "Okay, give the coin to me, kid." She held her hand out.

"You called me kid again! I'm not even a year younger than you! Are you ready for your punishment?"

"Are you two serious?" Daichi groans, covering his eyes.

"It's not much of a punishment for Utau," Il snickers.

"Shut up, Il!" Utau shrieks, her face turning pink.

"Utau-chan has finally found love," El swoons.

"El, you aren't helping!" Utau yells, covering her face with her hands. Kukai grins.

"Hey, you're wearing that silver ring I gave you for Valentine's Day," he notes.

"Y-yeah," Utau stammers in a way unlike her usual cold and sarcastic demeanor.

"Will you two just hurry up? I'm getting tired of being blind," Daichi complains, his hands still over his eyes.

Kukai shrugs. "You heard him." He pulls Utau over to the nearby maple tree, tilting her face slightly to the right and brushing a stray lock of blonde hair out of her face.

* * *

><p>"I can't believe you," Amu grumbles to Ikuto as they walk along the dirt path. Ikuto smirks.<p>

"You've got a problem with being alone with me?"

"YES."

He looks at her. "Really? Why?" There was hurt in his dark eyes.

Amu bites her bottom lip, afraid that she'd really hurt him. "It's just…you're such a pervert…and…um…you're so much older than me…"

Ikuto grins. "Ha, you fell for it again."

Amu punches him. "Seriously! Stop it! It's not funny!"

"Your face is red," he teases. Amu's hands automatically flew up to her cheeks.

"Wh-what—you! Ugh!"

"I'd have to mix red paint with a little yellow and white to get that color," Miki murmurs to herself. "It's the perfect color for an apple, or maybe a tomato…"

"Miki!" Amu shrieks. "_Helpful_!"

"Do you think you could teach me how to paint, Miki?" Yoru meows. Miki turns as red as her owner.

"Uh, sure…" she answers shyly.

"Thanks!"

Ikuto grins at Amu. "Hey, Amu?"

"Yeah?"

"I think we're lost."

* * *

><p>Kairi adjusts his glasses. "So, we must turn in an eighth of a mile when there's a fork. The left path just loops back to our starting point, so we will take the right path."<p>

Yaya nods. "Yaya gets it! We take the left path!"

"Uh, no, we take the right path," Kairi sweatdrops. He found the sixth grader exasperating, but yet, there was something special about her. When they'd first met, last year, he'd been so annoyed with her. She ruined his careful planning, she was immature, and she didn't understand some things no matter how many times he explained them. Not to mention her extremely irritating way of speaking in third person. But now…he had a feeling that something else was under the surface, that she wasn't quite as immature as she seemed to be.

She stares at him. "Kairi? Hello?"

"Hm?"

"Yaya needs to ask Kairi a question!"

"Yes?"

"Look, remember how Kairi and Yaya left during Kairi's sister's reception to go and make that ball for the other Guardians' graduation?"

Kairi nods slowly.

"Yaya felt something that day around Kairi, and from that day on, whenever she saw you, she'd get this fizzy feeling in her heart. Do you know what that means? Yaya's not sure," Yaya asks innocently. Kairi begins to blush.

Yes, he had felt that around a girl before. Amu Hinamori. But the feeling had faded when he'd come back to Seiyo Elementary. And now…he had begun feeling _something _when he was around Yaya. It wasn't the same as the love he'd had for Amu, it was less intense, less pronounced, but it had rooted there. After hours of scouring the library and Internet, he'd realized that perhaps he'd begun to love Yaya Yuiki, the frustrating sixth grader. "If you're going to have to fall in love with someone, why couldn't you've chosen _any _girl besides her?" Musashi had groaned. "It's not something you can control," Kairi had replied.

"Ask Joker and Queen… I'm sure they'll have the correct answers," Kairi says, looking down.

"Okay!" Yaya shouts enthusiastically, throwing her arms around the fifth-grader. Then she looks at him. "But doesn't Kairi-kun know everything?"

"Uh, no…" he sweatdrops.

Suddenly, Yaya yells in surprise. Kairi immediately Character Changes with Musashi and takes out his wooden katana. "Yaya?"

"It's just…Yaya's stomach really hurts…" she sobs, curling up into a ball on the dirt ground.

Kairi Changes back to normal and rushes to the eleven-year-old. "Appendicitis?" he mutters under his breath. He immediately grabs out the cell phone his sister had given him back in fourth grade to call Easter. He flips through the contacts and selected **Nagihiko**, the only one he knew would be available besides Queen. The others could all be lost in the woods. He shook his head, his green bangs flying. No time to worry about them. Yaya was in trouble.

He pushes CALL. A recording of a sweet female voice begins to play. "We're sorry, this area does not have servi—"

He presses END. Looking down at the redhead, he decided to work fast. He bends down. "Look, Yaya, hop onto my back."

Yaya obediently does, although she shrieks with pain in the process, making Kairi's heart—and ears—hurt. He begins running down the path, with Yaya screaming and wailing. He feels her tears fall on his jacket, wishing that he could turn around and wipe them away. About a quarter-mile after they'd begun running, Yaya lets out her final screech and her head promptly falls on Kairi's shoulder.

"She has time and energy to sleep?" Musashi scoffs.

"No, she's unconscious," Kairi says.

"When you're asleep, you _are _unconscious."

"No, it's…I don't have time to explain this to you right now." And he begins running again.

* * *

><p>"Look, Rima, how many times can I say I'm sorry?" Nagihiko asks in frustration.<p>

"I don't know, we have a five-mile hike ahead of us to look for Tadase, why don't you find out?" Rima sneers. They had seen movement about a half-mile ago, and Rima had dashed down to see if it were the blonde playboy. Nagihiko had raced after her to check it out. When Rima had suddenly come to an abrupt stop, Nagihiko crashed into her and she'd fallen into a mud puddle.

The two seventh-graders glare at each other. Then Rima sighs and turns away. "Carry me."

"No way," Nagihiko says.

Rima shrugs. "Whatever, then I'm not walking."

Nagihiko looks at her for a moment, then sits down next to her. Rima scowls at him. "Who gave _you _the right to sit down next to me?"

Nagihiko raises his eyebrows. "Well, _can I _sit down next to you?"

Rima turns red for some reason and mumbles something incoherent. Nagihiko leans close to her, so close that Rima's afraid he can hear her heart thumping like a drum. "What'd you say?"

"I SAID, I guess, fine, you can!" Rima yells in embarrassment.

Nagihiko looks at her face. "Why are you so red?"

Rima frowns and turns away. Nagihiko points at the sky. "That cloud looks like a person doing Bala-Balance, don't you think?" He glances at Rima to see if she's smiling, but her frown is etched in her face even deeper.

He stares at her for a moment, trying to figure out what to do next, and also absorbing her pretty features, not that he'd admit the latter to anyone. Even scowling, she was immensely cute, with her brown eyes, porcelain doll face, and wavy blonde hair. Then he grins. "It looks like a person doing Balance!"

Rima turns her head and glowers at him. "What…did…you…"

"Let's do this, Rima!" Kusukusu giggles.

Green symbols appear on the tiny girl's face and she points accusingly at Nagihiko. "It's BALA-BALANCE you fool not BALANCE!" She twirls around and arches her arms above her head. "BALA-BALANCE!"

Nagihiko smirks and begins clapping. The symbols disappear from her cheeks and she glares at him. "You did that on purpose!" She crosses her arms and sits down with a huff, her back to him.

After a while, Rima began to have a burning question. She looks shyly at Nagihiko. "Hey, Nagi, can I ask you a question?"

"You called me Nagi again!" Nagihiko crows. "Next thing you know, you'll be calling me Nagi-koi!"

"You wish!" Rima yells, standing up and giving him a seething look.

_Yes, I do wish_, Nagihiko sighs silently. "Anyways, what's your question?"

"Never mind!"

"Really, you can ask me it."

"No way!"

"Come on, what is it?"

She narrows her eyes at him. "Fine! I was just wondering, is there a girl you like?"

This got her the reaction she was hoping for. His cheeks begins burning and he looks down. "Uh, I…fine, yes?"

Rima's eyes open wide. Her goal had been to embarrass him as revenge for the Balance thing, not to actually get a reply. "Who?"

Nagihiko, his face still pink, looks up at the miniature blonde and grins. "Why do _you _want to know?"

Rima turns red and stomps on his hand. "No reason!"

"Ow, that hurt…" he whines, flopping his throbbing hand back and forth like a fish that has just been caught and thrown on land.

Suddenly, the pair heard a voice. "So, Tadase-kun, what's your favorite instrument?"

"Oh, I don't really play anything, but I love hearing others play the violin…" Tadase's voice rang out, strong and clear.

"I play the violin, if you want to hear me play, you're free to visit the music room before first period begins," the girl's voice offers.

"Oh, I'd love to," Tadase replies.

Rima and Nagihiko look at each other, then dash to the clump of trees where they heard the voices. Nagihiko pushes back the brambles, and then they both enter the clearing behind them.

Rima's jaw drops. Nagihiko's eyes widen. After a while, he finally finds the ability to speak.

"Her. Really, Hotori? Really?" Nagihiko asks.

Because the girl standing next to him was no other than the famous Saaya Yamabuki.

_Okay, sorry for the anticlimactic Kaiya confession, but hey, at least the Rimahiko one will be better. I hope._

_Anyways, I got a lot of positive reviews for the Hansel and Gretel play the Guardians, so I'm putting a new poll up for whether or not the Guardians should do the Cinderella play. Sorry, there will not be an "I don't care/know/have a preference" option, if those are your opinions on this, then just don't vote. It'll be on my profile in place of the Tadamu/Amuto poll, I've already decided all the couples so I don't need it anymore._


	35. Kairi Hitchhikes To The Nearest Hospital

Kairi charged out onto the road, his thumb sticking out. Yaya was slung onto his back, her head lolled onto his shoulder. _Hitchhiking, _he thought bitterly. His mother had warned him against hitchhiking countless times. And she would know—her sister had hitchhiked when she was 14 and had come home brutally assaulted.

But Kairi didn't have a choice. He had no money, no cell phone signal, no way to contact or find the others, and time was running out.

A red truck with the words REESE & CO. CANNERY painted on the side in bright yellow letters stopped in front of him and honked twice, its door opening. A fat woman with a green baseball cap covering half her face pulled a cigarette out of her mouth and stomped it out. She opened her leopard-patterned purse and took out a pack of cigarettes. "You want?" she asked Kairi.

"No thanks, I don't smoke," Kairi refused, panicking on the inside. What if this was a really bad idea?

"So, come on in," the woman shrugged, motioning to the passenger's seat next to her, covered in duct tape. "Where ya heading, kid?"

"The nearest hospital," Kairi said.

"Ah, the nearest hospital, huh? I know that one. Once had to drop my friend off there after he stayed up partying too late and got alcoholic poisoning…"

"That's nice," Kairi mumbled politely. All of his instincts—and Musashi—were yelling at him to just get out of there.

"No, it wasn't. He threw up in my perfectly fine sports car I had just stolen," the woman snapped.

"Ah," Kairi nodded, reaching down to unfasten his seatbelt so he and Yaya ( who was still on his back) could escape. Unluckily, the woman chose that moment to slam her foot down on the gas pedal and they lurched forward.

"Anyways, where's your favorite store to shoplift at?" the hairy female asked, pulling her baseball cap down even lower so that Kairi couldn't see any of her face.

"Um, I don't shoplift," Kairi responded uneasily, clutching Yaya's hand.

"Oh. What drugs do you like to use to get a high? I like Speed*, but it's so expensive, so usually I stick with weed…"

"I don't take drugs," Kairi replied worriedly. Whispering to Musashi, he said, "If things get really bad, Character Transform with me so we can knock her out and get out of here, okay?" Musashi nodded in agreement.

"Hey, whatcha whispering to, some invisible pet? Are you schizo*? My cousin is," the woman barked, making a sharp left turn.

"Um, nothing," Kairi said quickly.

The woman pulled on the lever and stopped in front of the hospital's double doors. "Here we are."

"Thanks," Kairi said, rapidly jumping out of the truck.

The woman pulled off her green baseball cap and shook out her curly brown hair. "No prob."

Kairi glanced back at the woman for a second, and then stared. His jaw dropped. "You…" He looked at her rumpled white T-shirt, her wrinkled floral-patterned skirt, and her mustache stubble…wait. _Mustache stubble?_

"You're male!" he exclaimed.

"That cap was getting stuffy," the man shrugged, running his fingers through his hair. "The boss thinks we'll get better business if I dress as a woman." He rolled his eyes in a _he's-totally-out-of-his-mind-but-I-can't-tell-him-that-because-I-want-that-paycheck_ way.

"How did I not notice that before?" Kairi muttered to himself, shrugging and walking towards the hospital's Immediate Care wing.

Because…_I was desperate, focused on Yaya. I lost my senses, I ignored my instincts. Why…? I didn't do that, not even around Joker. Could it be possible that…_

_ I really have fallen in love with her?_

* * *

><p><em>Slap. Slap. Slap. Slap. Slap. Slap. Slap. Slap.<em>

"There, that's 150," Amu said, dusting off her hands and straightening up.

Ikuto rubbed his red cheeks. "What was that for?"

"YOU GOT US LOST!" she screamed.

"Don't blame it all on him. It's also partially your fault for not taking a map from Nagihiko," Amu's most-levelheaded blue-haired Guardian Character pointed out.

"Here's some ice to help ease the pain," Su chirped, floating to Ikuto and handing him a bag of ice.

"No! Where'd you get that from? Actually, I don't even want to know! The point _is _the pain!" Amu yelled, snatching the bag from him.

"Amu-chan is so mean!" Ran squealed.

"Well, how are we going to get out of here? It's like almost nine o'clock!" Amu shouted frantically.

Ikuto pulled out the silver pocket watch Utau had given him for his sixteenth birthday and glanced at it. "It's a quarter past four."

"…Close enough!" she protested.

* * *

><p>"She's a conceited narcissist and an Amu-wannabe!" Nagihiko yelled, exasperated.<p>

"Hey, you know, I'm right here," Saaya said, annoyed.

"Why _her_? _Her?_" Nagihiko asked, ignoring Saaya.

"Well, I mean, at least she's female," Tadase tried.

"So is Nobuko Saeki, but I don't see you going out with _her_," Nagihiko sneered.

"Well, Tadase Character Changed with Kiseki is sort of similar to Saaya's personality," Rima suggested.

"Sure, but he can't Character Change every time they go out, can they?" Nagihiko asked rhetorically.

"We aren't going out," Tadase and Saaya responded in unison.

"Sure," Rima and Nagihiko both said sarcastically.

"We're just friends!" Tadase protested.

"Yes," Saaya agreed, running her French manicured nails through her mahogany curls.

"At least we all know _you _want to be more than friends," Rima retorted to Saaya.

Saaya's cheeks flushed. "Ah, well, um, I…"

"Look, honestly, Tadase, don't lie, do you like her? As more than a friend?" Nagihiko asked the thirteen-year-old.

"Why are you trying to _help _their relationship? They're so wrong for each other! Saaya's such a self-centered person!" Rima hissed at him.

"I heard that!" she complained. Rima ignored her.

"Look, I know how painful it is to like someone and not be able to tell them, to not have the courage…" His chocolate brown eyes were sad.

Rima opened her mouth to speak and then closed it, scrunching up her eyebrows, contemplating what he'd just said. _I know how painful it is to like someone and not be able to tell them…_Could he read her mind? Or were her feelings just that obvious? But she wasn't _really _in pain…but it was true, she didn't have the courage to be honest about her feelings. She usually didn't try to think about it, but…

She narrowed her eyes at him. He looked at her. "Huh?"

"Can you read my mind?" she asked accusingly.

"What? No? Why, did my statement hit a chord?" He raised his eyebrows, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips.

"What? Of course not! Ugh, whatever!" She slapped him.

"Ow…" he whined, clutching his face.

"Uh…" Tadase cleared his throat, looking torn. "I…uh…" Kiseki whispered something to him. "Yes! Yes, I like her!"

"And what about you, Saaya?" Nagihiko asked, looking at the seventh-grader.

Saaya looked down. "What can I say? Shouldn't it be obvious, after my seven confessions and formation of the Prince—"

A crown appeared on Tadase's head and he pointed at Nagihiko, a manic smile on his face. "YOU! SERVANT! YOU SHOULD FOLLOW MY EXAMPLE AND BE HONEST ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS FOR MASH—"

"You need some face massaging. Your facial muscles seem tense," Nagihiko growled, lunging for the blonde's cheeks.

"Um, what just happened?" Saaya asked meekly.

"You're going have to change the name of your club," Rima said acidly.

"What? Why? Isn't Prince Tadase good enough for him?"

"How about just the Tadase Hotori club?" Rima suggested.

"That'll work…" Saaya nodded, obviously not understanding what was going on.

"Here, this should do the trick," Rima said to Nagihiko, handing him Saaya's violin case.

"Wait, what are you doing with my violin case?" Saaya asked. Nagihiko ignored her and raised the case over his head. "It's delicate—"

He brought it down on Tadase's head. The little gold crown disappeared, but the violin case was permanently dented. He handed it back to Saaya. "It was for a good cause."

Saaya looked down, letting her curls fall over her face and examined her violin case, looking like she was on the verge of tears.

"What did you do that for? Her violin case is special, her mother gave it to her for her tenth birthday!" Tadase hissed at Rima and Nagihiko, rubbing his throbbing head.

"Oops," Rima shrugged, obviously not sorry.

* * *

><p>"Be honest. We're lost, aren't we?" Utau snarled.<p>

"Uh, yes?" Kukai offered.

"I knew it," she groaned, burying her face into her hands.

"But hey, on the bright side, we aren't going to starve. I brought four bowls of instant ramen," Kukai said cheerily, emptying his backpack.

"Instant ramen isn't as good as the real thing," Utau grumbled.

"I know, right?" Kukai agreed. "But I couldn't exactly pack that easily." He took out some matches and quickly gathered some twigs. "I did this in outdoor camp in fourth grade, I think I still remember how…"

He took a small metal container he had in the pile of the contents of his backpack on the ground and filled it with water from his water bottle. He rubbed the match against the match box. It quickly lit, then was blown out by the warm breeze. "Darn," Kukai cursed, choosing another match and scratching it across the rough surface of the box. It broke into two.

* * *

><p>Kairi stood up as the doctor and his assistant walked out of Yaya's hospital room. He'd been waiting impatiently in the lobby room for the last forty-five minutes. "Is it appendicitis?"<p>

"No, unfortunately," the doctor snapped. Kairi frowned. _Unfortunately? _"She's in a coma. Her appendix burst."

Kairi's laser blue eyes widened and he collapsed into a chair. "No."

"Yes," the doctor shouted. "Who's going to pay me, by the way?"

Musashi raised his eyebrows at Kairi in a _I-don't-believe-you-didn't-think-of-that-Ace-is-distracting-you-too-much-and-you're-still-not-being-honest-about-your-feelings-but-let's-get-back-to-the-matter-at-hand:-WHO'S-GOING-TO-PAY-HUH? _way. "Um, could I call my sister?" Kairi asked.

The doctor gave him a look that could freeze icicles. "Phone's over there," he pointed.

Kairi nodded and walked over to the counter. He picked up the phone and dialed Yukari's number. She picked up on the third ring. "Hello?"

"Nee-san? This is Kairi. I'm in the hospital—"

"Now what'd you do?"

"I didn't do anything, Yaya's appendix burst."

There was silence on the other end. "Um, nee-san?"

"What's an appendix?"

"Uh, never mind…" Kairi sweatdropped. "Anyways, could you get here quickly?"

"Just a second. Yu, how long until we can get to the hospital?"

"Which one?" Kairi heard Nikaidou-sensei ask.

"The one where Kairi and Yaya-chan are," Yukairi replied. Kairi felt like banging his head against the wall.

"Just let me talk to Sanjo-kun," Nikaidou-sensei sighed. "Okay, Sanjo-kun, what hospital are you at?"

"The Sakura First Alliance," Kairi answered.

"Okay, we should be there in about…forty minutes."

"Forty minutes?" Kairi gasped.

"There was an accident on the freeway."

"Fine," Kairi grumbled. "I'll see you then." He hung up.

A different doctor walked out and tapped the green-haired nine-year-old on the shoulder. "Do you want to see your friend?"

"Yes, please," Kairi responded. He followed the doctor into a cramped room and stared down into the pale face of the redhead. She'd been a friend, an irritation, a fellow Guardian…but no, that didn't describe her fully…not at all…

His love? Was that it?

_*Speed is a slang term for methamphetamine. Weed is a slang term for marijuana. Schizo is a slang term for schizophrenic._

_Sorry for the delay, I was stalling on my other fanfics (that I still haven't updated T_T). Warning: It's going to be completely Kaiya next chapter. Anyways, I need a new summary. I'm no good at them, if you have one for this fanfiction please PM me (sorry, I'm getting sort of desperate, I've changed it like four times…) Also, I need an Amu, a Kukai, and an Ikuto for my fandub (go to http:/ / board/ showthread .php? 66228-Shugo-Chara!-Fandub-Auditions, just take out the spaces, for more info), I'm also getting sort of desperate about that._

_ Also, please review (yep, I still have the gall to mention that :P). _


	36. Kairi And Yaya Get Punk'd

_Of course_, Kairi thought, staring at the small redhead curled up in a ball with tubes hooked up to her. _I finally realize my feelings when I can't tell her them anymore. When she's on the brink of—no, I won't allow myself to finish that sentence._

"I'll leave to give you some privacy," the doctor said gruffly, walking out the door and muttering something about telekinesis. Kairi nodded.

"Samurais should not regret anything. They will take the path they choose and never look back," Musashi advised his owner.

"That's what you told me after the Black Diamond CD betrayal," Kairi sighed, looking down at his hands. "But, no matter what you say, I'm going to regret _something_. Not realizing my feelings earlier, not realizing that she was ill earlier, not—"

"Don't ponder on your mistakes… learn from them," Musashi said wisely.

Yaya suddenly yawned and opened her eyes. "Kairi-kun? What is Yaya doing in…" She looked around. "A prostitution camp?" (**A/N: **And how would she know what that looks like?)

"She's been spending too much time with Ikuto," Kairi muttered under his breath. "No, we're in a hospital…"

"But Yaya feels fine!" The eleven-year-old protested, sitting up, making the monitor squeal like a pig being burned by a torch.

Not that Kairi had ever seen that before.

"No, you aren't. The doctor said you have…" Kairi squinted at the messy handwriting on the notepad. "…you have _ADD?" _(**A/N: **That stands for Attention Deficit Disorder. It makes sense that Yaya would be diagnosed with it, doesn't it?)

"What? Let me see," Musashi demanded, flying over to his owner. "_ADD? _But that wouldn't cause her to go into a coma, and that wouldn't cause her stomach to hurt, and…"

"We all know Yaya-chi has ADD!" Pepe shrieked. "The Scientologists ("Scientologists?" Musashi muttered disdainfully) told us when she was five!"

"He's a fake!" Kairi realized. As if on cue, the doctor popped into the room.

He winked and grinned. "You just got punk'd!"

"What does that mean?" Kairi and Musashi asked in unison. Kairi quickly pulled out his laptop and went to Urban Dictionary.

"There's Wi-Fi signal here!" Musashi cheered.

Kairi read the first entry. _When a celebrity falls into a trap of trickery cleverly devised by Ashton Kutcher so that he can wave his arms around and make his retro John Deere hat fall off while going into a seizure from the most recent punk. __"You just got punk'd! I'm Ashton Kutcher! I have nothing better to do than sneak around in my trucker clothing and punk people! I'M AWESOME!"_

"Who's Ashton Kutcher? What's a John Deere hat?" Musashi asked, adjusting his glasses.

Kairi shrugged, reading the second entry. _Fooled, tricked, made the butt of a practical joke._ "I think this is the 'punk'd' the doctor was referring to."

The doctor threw a piece of paper on the bed. "Thought you might like to read this. Anyways, I'm going to lock you two in here until your sister comes in and signs that check. You can scream all you want—the walls are soundproof." He quickly slipped out of the door and pulled it shut. Kairi quickly ran to the door and attempted to open it, to no avail.

"Kairi-kun, what do all these numbers stand for?" Yaya asked, examining the piece of paper. Kairi took it from her and scanned it.

"It's the bill," he managed, his face pale. The total added up to 60,792 yen. "We have to get out of here and warn nee-san and Nikaidou-san."

"How?" Yaya asked. (**A/N: **That's what I'd like to know also!)

Kairi looked around the room. There were no windows and the door was locked. But the air inside the room was cool, while it was easily 30 degrees (**A/N: **Approximately 86 degrees Fahrenheit) outside. "There must be an air vent," he realized. "Let's just hope it's a bigger one."

He quickly found it, on the right of Yaya's bed. It was a 2' by 1', which was hopefully—which had to be—big enough. He pulled out a screwdriver (**A/N: **Um, I don't know where he got _that _from…Kairi doesn't seem like the type to carry screwdrivers around, does he?) and worked at the screws, lifting the metal lid up. "Do you want to go first?" he asked Yaya.

The sixth-grader jumped behind Kairi and shook her head timidly. "Kairi goes first!"

The green-haired genius (**A/N: **Yep, that's my official nickname for him now) nodded and slipped down the air vent. Since he was on the slender side, it wasn't too tight of a fit. Yaya slid down after him.

A few minutes later, both kids burst out of an external air vent, gasping for air. Kairi dusted off Yaya's clothes and straightened up.

"That was scary! Yaya saw a spider!" Yaya cried.

"Well, we're not in there anymore," Kairi said.

They both sat down in the grass. Musashi nudged Kairi. "Now here's your chance!"

"I don't want to confess just yet…" Kairi muttered back.

Yaya pointed up at the sky. "Look, ravens!"

Kairi nodded. The ravens circled lower and lower. He squinted, adjusting his glasses. The ravens were suspiciously _oval-shaped _and had _white X's _marked on them…

"I don't think those are ravens…" he said.

"X-eggs…haven't seen one of those things for months. It makes me nostalgic," Musashi muttered. (**A/N: **Whaaaat?)

Kairi looked around, but they were surrounded by black whirling ellipses murmuring "Useless, useless," under their breath. "Yaya, Character Transform!"

"Yeah!" she shrieked. "Haven't done this for months! Pepe, let's do this! Yaya's own heart, unlock!"

"So enthusiastic…" Kairi sweatdropped. He looked at his own Guardian Character. "My own heart, unlock!" He remembered the first time he'd Transformed… right after Amu had convinced him to switch to the Guardian's side… back when he'd had a silly crush on her… _you told her you'd always love her, _he scolded himself. _How could you make such a colossal mistake?_

The eggs began circling around the two grade-schoolers. They circled tighter and tighter, until they'd completely trapped the two kids.

"How are we going to purify these X-eggs?" Kairi asked, panicking. There was no way out of this.

"There's no way!" Yaya shouted, but to Kairi's surprise, her eyes were dry. "But there has to be some way!"

"You just contradicted yourself…" Kairi sweatdropped.

But it was strange, that they were the only pairing…couple…group who couldn't purify eggs. Of course Amu and Ikuto could purify eggs, they owned the Humpty Lock and Dumpty Key (well, Ikuto had merely "forgotten" to return it to Tadase). Kukai and Utau had Seraphic Charm's X-egg purifying move, Angel's Cradle. Rima and Nagihiko could perform Queen's Waltz together to purify eggs. But… he and Yaya couldn't purify any eggs.

And of course they'd be the ones ending up in this situation.

_There's got to be a way out of here. _The thing that binded all three of those pairs were…love. Each one of them had admitted their feelings to _someone_. Kairi had told no one, unless Musashi counted, and he apparently didn't.

_Yaya had admitted her feelings to me_. _"I get this fizzy feeling in my heart…" I'm the one who has to say those words back._

"Yaya!" He stared at the redhead.

"Huh?" she asked.

"I-I love you! I was so…so ignorant! I saw past you, let my eyes drift to the pink-haired girl next to you! I mistook admiration for love! I didn't see what was right in front of my eyes! I guess they're right when they say love is blind!" Kairi shouted. He didn't feel the same burning heat on his cheeks that he'd felt when he'd confessed to Amu—instead, he felt gentle warmth, like a summer breeze. Because he was sure of himself this time.

"What are you doing?" Musashi hissed from inside Kairi.

"I'm tired of lying. I'm going to be honest this time—to myself and to Yaya," Kairi replied.

"You know, she was the most upset when the Guardians found out you were a traitor," Musashi pointed out.

Yaya grinned toothily at the green-haired genius, her light brown eyes sparkling. "Kairi! Yaya thinks she's figured her feelings out too! It was always going to be Kairi!"

"I guess she didn't reject you, at least," Musashi said.

"So optimistic…" Kairi sighed.

Suddenly, a light began glowing between the two children. "Wh-what?" he sputtered, blinking.

Yaya smiled. "Kairi, let's do this!"

"Do what? Why is Yaya the one who knows what to do?" Musashi muttered.

"Sunray Sparkle!" she yelled, creating a diamond with her index fingers and thumbs. Kairi stared, and suddenly he realized what he had to do.

"Sunray Sparkle!" he echoed, creating a cross with his two katanas.

Light began flowing from his blades. Light blasted from Yaya's fingers also, and the three light sources merged together.

The light exploded into thousands of sparkles. When a sparkle touched an X-egg, the X was lifted off and the purified egg floated away.

Soon, the only thing left were the sparkles. Without anything to purify, they flew up and turned into fireworks. The two kids sat down and watched the fireworks.

"How pretty," Yaya whispered, reaching for Kairi's hand.

"Yaya. I meant what I said. All of it," the fifth-grader said, taking her cool hand and squeezing it.

She squeezed back. "I know…so did I."

_This was my first time trying Author Notes. Please review and tell me what you think of them, if I went overkill with them, etc. I have the anonymous reviews setting on so "I don't have an account" is an illegitimate excuse to not review! *Malicious psycho shine in eyes* sorry…heh heh, I'm getting jaded *sigh*. Anyways, next chapter we'll be back to the Rimahiko. I've decided that I want to do the Cinderella play because it was so fun writing the Hansel and Gretel one. I tried to maximize the Kaiya fluff but I'm not that great at writing fluff…^_^_


	37. Amu As Elvis Presley

_Thanks for the healthy criticism on the author notes! Um…okay, I'm not sure if the A and N are supposed to be capitalized…sigh. I've only added a few notes this chapter. _

_ Sorry for the late update, I was forced to go to this sports camp (I hate sports—if I had it my way I would've just stayed home all week writing, drawing and making my fandub. But unfortunately, I didn't have it my way.)_

_ WARNING: This chapter contains perverted/mature content. Not so much that I'd have to change the rating to M though (I've already had to change the rating from K+ to T, I don't want to have to change it again). Another warning: Some characters are slightly OOC this chapter._

_ I give my fantastic editor and friend, Temptful, credit for Rima's dream._

**RIMA'S DIARY**

"I can't imagine the great Saaya Yamabuki camping," Nagihiko says sarcastically.

"Oh, of course I'm not camping," she says loftily, tossing her hair back and glancing at Tadase, who's whistling to the birds. The birds are just staring at him like _WTF?_

"I just came here for a scenic hike. My parents and I are currently living in the biggest suite in Yamabuki Hotel, one of the hotels in the fabulous hotel chain my aunt owns," Saaya brags. "I've got to go back to the hotel." She runs off.

"I can_not believe _Tadase likes her," I mutter.

"I know, right?" Nagihiko agrees, grinning at me. I feel my cheeks burning and turn away, but not before he catches a glimpse of my red face. "Why are you blushing?"

"Because you think he's cute when he grins like that!" Kusukusu hisses to me.

I scowl. "I can't tell him that!" I whisper back.

Nagihiko smirks. No, had he heard what Kusukusu said?

Please not have let him had heard Kusukusu. Please not have let him had heard Kusukusu. Please not let him—

"Rima-chan, you've got something to say to me? Something about me being cute when I grin?"

Shoot.

"She was kidding," I try, death-glaring at Kuskusu.

"Sure…" he says, snickering quietly into his palm.

Grrr.

"We probably should go and find the others," I say, trying to change the topic.

Nagihiko lifts his eyebrows. "Exactly _when _have you cared about these types of things, such as looking for people besides yourself?"

"I-I always have," I lie. "I just didn't feel like showing it."

"Right."

_Thirty minutes later_

We found Kukai and Utau going at it under an oak tree, a pile of broken and charred matches next to them.

"Should we kick them?" I ask Nagi.

THE ONLY REASON WHY I'M CALLING HIM THAT IS BECAUSE HIS REAL NAME IS LIKE TEN LETTERS LONG. IT'S WAY FASTER TO WRITE THAN "NAGIHIKO". (**A/N: **Um, Rima? It's _eight _letters long.)

"No, you shouldn't interrupt people when they're making out," he says, shrugging.

"And how would _you _know this? Personal experience?" I sneer.

"Yeah," he nods.

….

!

"Heh heh, just kidding. I just wanted to see your reaction," Nagi laughs.

_Fifteen minutes later_

"Can't we interrupt them _now_?" I whine.

"No," Tadase and Nagi say in unison.

Romantics. Ugh.

_Ten minutes later_

I finally lose my patience and throw a cup of instant ramen at their heads.

Utau looks up. "Oh, hi! Uh…"

They both begin blushing like there's no tomorrow.

Wait, how do you blush like there's no tomorrow. But there _is _tomorrow. Maybe—

"That expression means that if there was no tomorrow, you'd want to get enough of blushing, right? Like—" Nagi begins. I cut him off.

"Who the heck needs to get _enough _of _blushing?_ And STOP READING OVER MY SHOULDER!"

"I guess you guys should stop denying it now," Nagi sighs to Kukai and Utau, ignoring me.

"We-we're not denying anything! It's just…Utau had spinach stuck in her teeth, and I was helping her get it out!" Kukai protests.

"Using your _teeth_?" Nagi and I ask skeptically in unison.

"Yeah! It's a new Brazilian technique—" Our cynical expressions must've done something, because he looks down. "Uh, yeah, we were making out…"

"As long as you admit it. It's horrible when you don't admit love," Nagi says casually, looking at me. I glare at him.

"What? Why are you looking at me?"

"No reason," he says quickly, turning back to Utau and Kukai.

"Let's go find Amu, Ikuto, Kairi, and Yaya," Tadase suggests.

_Two hours later_

We've been searching for them for two hours, and there's still no sign of any of them.

"We should go back to the cabin. Maybe they're there," Kukai says hopefully.

_An hour later_

I am permanently scarred for life. Wait, is that redundant?

We walked back to the cabin, and Kukai flung open the door…to reveal Amu and Ikuto.

They were in the lower bunk of one of the bunk beds, Ikuto on top of Amu.

** CENSORED CENSORED CENSORED CENSORED CENSORED CENSORED CENSORED**

But I promise they hadn't gone all the way…yet.

"I-It was Ikuto! H-he…" Amu protests, trailing off.

"I'm dizzy," I mutter, running out. Nagi follows me.

"Why'd you follow me?" I ask.

"To make sure you're okay," he grins.

"Whatever," I shrug.

"L-Look, Rima-chan, I've always wanted to tell you this, b-but I've never gotten the chance…" he takes a deep breath.

"What is it?" I ask, almost scared to know.

"Um, ever since that day I met you…I sort of…" He looks down, his purple hair falling over his face so that I can't see his expression.

"Just spit it out!" Rhythm urges.

"Have courage, Nagihiko," Temari says.

"Okay! Basically, Rima-chan, I—"

"I'm so dizzy," I murmur, collapsing on the ground and

_Some time later_

I wake up in a soft bed. I look around, my memories flooding back to me. I look down in horror. "This isn't the bed Amu and Ikuto were—"

"No, that's the other bunk bed," a familiar voice says. Nagihiko walks around to the other end of the bed, so that I can see him. "You okay?"

"I was until you spoke," I say nastily.

He looks down. "Rima-chan, what made you hate me so much?"

"I…I mean, I was pretty much Amu's best friend until you came…and I can't believe you lied about your freaking _gender _for all those years…" I stammer, my cheeks suddenly hot.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry for lying! It wasn't my fault! And as for being Amu's friend, can't we _both _be her best friends?" Nagi bursts out.

"Well, honestly, I've forgiven you for all that," I mumble. "I just needed an excuse for hating you. I don't think I hate you anymore."

A smile creeps across his face. "Say what?"

"You _heard _what I said, I'm not about to say it again," I say arrogantly.

"You've forgiven me?" he grins. "That's awesome!" He reaches across the bed and hugs me tightly.

Utau runs in. "Is she awa—" She sees Nagi and her jaw drops. Her face molds into a smirk and she nods. "I see." She runs out, obviously going to tell the others.

I blush.

"Let's go out," Nagi suggests. He then blushes. "I meant, walk out of this room! Not like that! Really!"

I smirk and push past him to the door. Walking out, I'm prepared for teasing. But just then, the door bangs open and Yaya jumps in, pulling Kairi along with her.

"Where were you guys? Why are you two holding hands?" Amu shrieks.

"We were at the hospital," Kairi says.

"Watching fireworks!" Yaya adds.

"…."

"Are you two…" Utau points at their connected hands.

Kairi blushes, but he doesn't let go. Yaya, who is shameless, grins happily. "Yep!"

"That only leaves _two _people left…" Ikuto turns and looks at us. "When will you two just confess to each other?"

I'm sure my cheeks are crimson. "Shut up, I don't like him and never will."

"Riiiiggghhhtttt…" Amu, Ikuto, Utau, and Yaya say in unison. Creepy. How do they _do _that?

They must have evil communicators in their heads. I can see one whirring in Amu's head right now. It's almost out of battery because she forgot to charge it. (**A/N: **I now nominate Rima Mashiro for Schizophrenic Psycho of the Year Award.)

"How do you guys _do _that? I can see the evil communicator whirring in your head," I say to Amu.

"What are you talking about?" she asks.

"Don't act like you don't know," I say, giving her the evil eye. "You forgot to charge it so now it's running out of battery."

"Maybe she's got a high fever?" Amu suggests. "When you have a high fever, all that heat goes to your head and you go insane, right?"

"I'M NOT INSANE!" I yell, turning huge (not like that, pervs) with evil stars in my eyes. I point down at her. "I. Am. Not. INSANE!"

"Yeah! Yeah!" she agrees quickly, waving her hands in an _I-didn't-mean-it-like-that-please-don't-eat-me _way.

Hmmmph. Well, I'm not a _cannibal_.

"Rima-chan, you need sleep," Mr. Evil Crossdresser says, taking my hand.

"No! I don't!" I protest, kicking him in the leg.

"Ow!" he complains, rubbing his thigh (again, not like that, pervs).

Why am I having such pervy thoughts? Maybe my brain got replaced with Ikuto's….

Everything's so blurry…so pretty…just like Nagi…

Sdkdkflnmooiwjefa'12jkvsdpq;/sd;l (**A/N: **Wait, if she's writing in a diary, how can she keyboard smash? Rima Mashiro has just created the pencilsmash.)

_April 10__th__ (At least, I think)_

I wake up to find Nagi standing over me. "Where am I, Nagi?"

"Uh…you're in…" He looks around nervously.

"I had a dream," I say majestically.

I get out of bed and walk to the main room, Nagi cautiously following me. I point accusingly at Kairi. "That you were a male stripper!"

"HUH?" Nagi, Amu, Yaya, and Kukai yell in unison.

"And you!" I spin around to face Amu. "You were Elvis Presley!"

"What's that?" she mutters.

"You were a hairdresser, and you chopped all of my beautiful blond locks off!" I yell at Nagi.

"Someone's narcissistic," he comments.

"Apologize!" I yell at him.

"But I _didn't _chop all of your hair off. See look, it's still here," he says, pointing at it.

"Still!"

I [0fjoskidnkls;'.weriou (**A/N: **Pencilsmash for the win!)

_Later_

I wake up to find a bag of ice on my forehead and a girl with her pink-hair in a ponytail standing next to me

"This is the first time I've seen you wear a ponytail," I say to Amu. "Unless that side ponytail Amulet Heart has counts."

"Yeah, I just wanted to try out some new styles," Amu says, blushing. "I'm going to try out French braids next."

I then notice her dress. It's a white lacy Lolita dress with pink ribbons. "Why are you wearing that?"

"Oh, it's…nothing…" she blushes.

I narrow my eyes. "Did something happen between you and Ikuto?"

She lifts her eyebrows. "You mean you don't remember?"

I squeeze my eyes tight. "The last thing I remember is Tadase and Saaya confessing to each other."

"Wait…Tadase was with _Saaya?_" Amu shrieks. "Saaya Yamabuki? The narcissist who hates my guts because I'm so popular and awesome and she's not?"

"Wait…" I open my eyes. "I think I remember."

All my memories come flooding back. How Ikuto and Amu were messing around on the bunk bed, all those random things…oh my god. Heat radiates from my cheeks. "Did I really say all that nonsense? Did I really accuse you of having an evil communicator? Did I—"

"Yes, you did!" she says.

OH. MY. GOD. They're probably laughing at me right now. I bury my face in my knees, curling up into a ball.

"SHE CURLED UP INTO A BALL!" Amu, Miki, and Ran yell in unison.

Geez. Point out the obvious, why don't you?


	38. The Return Of Kindergarten Games

_Okay. I got some complaints last chapter. Yes, I admit that the Amuto part was a little unrealistic—Amu's only twelve, after all. _

_ Now to the bigger complaint: I have been accused of ripping off a certain fanfiction. I can assure you that I had never read this fanfic until I read two reviews complaining that I was copying off. While there are some creepily similar parts, there are also some differences, such as the ages and grades. This fanfic is not meant to resemble any other fanfic in any way and the plot line is going to be going in a different direction. _

_ Anyways, let's begin. _

_April 11__th_

"What should we do?" Amu complains. It's around ten in the morning and we're all stuck in the cabin.

"Play tag," Kukai suggests.

"It's raining outside, that's sort of the reason why we're not kayaking like we were supposed to?" Utau says.

"Then let's play inside," Kukai shrugs.

"There's no room!" Utau sighs, exasperated.

"Strip poker!" Ikuto cheers.

"NO!" Amu, Nagi, Utau, and I yell.

"Here, I printed out this cool quiz thing from the Internet," Amu suggests, pulling out a sheet of paper.

"I hate quizzes!" I groan.

"Yaya does too!"

"No, it's a fun kind, and you don't get graded," Amu assures us.

I snatch the paper from her and read it.

_Write ten people's names down._

"This looks boring," I say, handing it back to Amu.

Amu quickly grabs a pen from Utau and begins scribbling down. I lean over to see what she's writing.

_Rima _

_Nagihiko_

_Yaya_

_Utau_

_Kairi_

_Amu_

_Kukai_

_Ikuto_

_Tadase_

_Rima_

"Hey, you wrote my name twice!" I complain.

"I couldn't think of anyone else," Amu says sheepishly.

I grab the paper from her, scribble out my name and replace it with Saaya's.

**Q1: What would 3 do if he/she saw 10 and 6 beating each other up?**

"She'd walk up to us and ask for candy," Amu says.

"Who'd win? Saaya versus Amu…" Ikuto murmurs.

"Remember back when she had that popularity contest between you two?" I ask Amu.

"Oh, god, yes," Amu sighs. "It's not like popularity's a huge deal, anyway…"

"Yaya wants a doughnut!" Yaya yells randomly.

**Q2: What would 8 do if he/she saw 9 and 5 making out?**

"…."

"I'm not GAY!" Tadase complains.

"Really? I never would've guessed," Utau says. I can't tell if she's being sarcastic or not.

"I'd probably be all 'WTF' and walk away," Ikuto says.

"Kairi and Tadase…oh, I don't want to imagine that," Amu says, obviously grossed out.

"I'm just trying to hold in my laughter," Nagi shrugs, his lips creeping up into a smile.

**Q3: What would be better: 1 and 2 or 1 and 4?**

"Nagihiko, obviously!" I yell. Oh my god, did I actually say that? I clap my hands over my mouth, my cheeks burning, but it's too late. They heard me.

Nagi chuckles. "Rima…"

"I-It's only because you're a guy, and Utau's _not!_" I protest.

"Right," Nagi says, obviously trying not to laugh.

"This game is stupid. Let's do something else," I snap.

"Spin the Bottle!" Yaya yells.

"NO!" I shout.

"Seven Minutes in Heaven!" Ikuto declares.

"No way!" Nagi, Amu, Utau, and I scream.

"Duck, Duck, Goose!" Yaya shouts again.

"I guess that'd be okay," Kukai nods.

"I haven't played that since first grade," Utau sneers.

"Yaya'll go first!" Yaya squeals.

"Duck, duck, duck, duck, duck, duck, duck…" she walks around patting our heads.

_Ten minutes later_

"…Duck, duck, duck, duck, duck, duck, duck, duck, duck, duck, duck—"

"I'm SICK AND TIRED of being called a duck! Just pick a freaking goose already!" I shout.

"Yaya, the object of the game is for you to choose a 'goose'," Kairi sweatdrops.

"Goose!" she shrieks, kicking me in the back.

Of course. She'd choose the slowest runner in the group.

I end up having to choose the next goose. I dash around the circle (um, actually, it's more like an octagon). "Duck…duck…duck…" I choose Nagihiko. I swear, I didn't plan it! It was random!

"Why'd you choose _him_?" Amu asks.

"She wants him to chase her!" Ikuto hoots.

"Wh-what? Of course not! No! It was random!" I yell, feeling my cheeks begin to burn.

"Your cheeks are turning red," Nagihiko grins.

"Sh-shut up!" I stammer. Shoot, why do I keep stuttering?

"Chibi apple!" Nagi shouts. "The red kind!"

"Your metaphors need work," I smirk.

"Yeah," he nods. He taps me lightly on the shoulder. "Okay, I tagged you. Now you have to pick the next goose again."

"Ugh!" I curse, looking down and stamping my feet.

"You look cute when you're upset," Nagi teases.

"Yaya has to go to the bathroom!" Yaya announces (unnecessarily), running into the other room.

"Yaya…the bathroom is outside!" I yell, but she either doesn't hear me or ignores me.

Then I hear a huge crash from the other room.

**NAGIHIKO'S JOURNAL**

A crash comes from the other room, just as I'd planned with Kukai, Kairi, Amu, and Yaya yesterday while Rima was delirious.

The others will run to the room, leaving me alone with Rima. Then I'll confess…and then…

_Best-case scenario:_

_ "Oh my goodness, Nagi-koi, I feel the same way about you!" Rima hugs me tightly. "You were always my prince!"_

_ "Did… someone… just…. say…PRINCE?" Tadase yells. A yellow crown appears on his head. "LISTEN, PEASANTS! I AM NOT A PRINCE! HAHAHAHAHAHA! I'M LAUGHING INSANELY LIKE A CLOWN ON CRACK! HOHOHOHO! I JUST RANDOMLY TURNED INTO SANTA! MUAHAHAHA! WORLD DOMINATION! I WILL CONQUER THE WORLD!"_

_ "WTF, Tadase?" Rima sneers. "I swear he's got to be on hallucinogens or something."_

_ "Yeah…" I sweatdrop. "Anyways, Rima, let's ignore him…and get back to our—"_

_ "You don't have to say anything," she says, placing a finger on my lips and winking. "I'll take over from here."_

Actually, no, I won't allow myself to finish that fantasy. And now that I think of it, the best-case scenario probably wouldn't have Tadase laughing maniacally in the background.

But…

_Most-likely scenario (a.k.a. worst-case scenario):_

_ "What the heck, Nagihiko? Have you had too much booze or something?" she snarls._

_ "I don't drink," I protest. "No, my feelings are real!"_

_ "Well, no! I don't like you, in fact I hate you! You're so not the guy for me! In fact, I've been secretly dating Tadase since February!"_

_ "Wh-what?" I stutter._

_ "You heard the lady," Tadase says, walking over and placing a wet one on Rima's lips. _

_ "You've got to be kidding. Why him, Rima? Why him?" I mutter._

_ "He's cuter than you, smarter than you, less annoying than you, has a better personality than you, is more popular than you, and most of all, HE'S NOT A PURPLE-HEADED CROSSDRESSER!" she shrieks._

Okay, now that I think about it, that's probably not the most-likely scenario. I just can't picture Rima and Tadase dating.

No, actually, yes, I can. Because that truly happened once.

But…they broke up, right?

Yes, yes, they did. They had to! Oh my god. I'm not sure if I'm ready to go through this.

"Be brave, Nagihiko," Temari whispers to me. I nod at her.

"Anyways, we probably should check that out," Amu says.

"Yeah," Rima nods, straightening up and walking towards the doorway between the two rooms.

No! She can't go! That'll ruin the plan!

"Actually, Rima, you probably should stay here," Amu laughs nervously.

"No way! Finally, something sort of interesting is happening!" she protests.

"There might be blood," Kukai tries. "You're scared of blood, right?"

"What? No, 'course not," Rima says, puzzled.

"Um, what he meant was, Nagi's scared of blood," Amu says.

What? Since when?

Rima looks at me, her eyebrows raised. I grin sheepishly. "Uh, yeah, it must've been because I was raised as Nadeshiko. Nadeshiko was scared of rats and stuff, so I guess the fears stuck?" I'm not sure if that even makes sense.

"So? What _if _he's scared of blood?" Rima asks.

"Don't you want to stay with him so he won't be lonely?" Amu asks.

Ugh, that makes me sound like I'm five years old or something.

"You'll get alone time with him," Amu adds.

"Shut up! He heard you!" Rima hisses, side-glancing at me. I immediately play dumb.

"Huh? Hear what?" I ask.

Amu shrugs at her. Rima glares back. "Okay, fine, I'll stay here."

"Yeah, okay, we'll be in the other room!" Amu says, strolling out.

I take a deep breath, because I'm about to perform the hardest role ever. Not any of my dance roles, not even Nadeshiko.

I'm going to have to be honest this time. Going to have to be myself. And I don't even know who that is.

_Bang._

_ Bang._

_ Bang._

_ That's the sound of my forehead hitting my desk. I am told it is called a headdesk. _

_ Writer's block sucks. That's why I didn't update for, what, two weeks? I was just staring at the open Microsoft Word document blankly, wondering what the fudge I was going to write about. And then, once I finished, I had to go to Wyoming and our cabin had no Wi-Fi so I couldn't publish. By the way, did anyone else hear about the Yellowstone bear mauling? My family was planning to go hike the trailer where the killing took place later that day O_O. _

_ But yay, the return of Nagi's Journal! I haven't written in his POV for a long time._

_ Anyways, I'm hoping for fluff in the next chapter. I love fluff!_

_ Thanks for reading!_


	39. Maybe He's the One

_Hello! Have any of you read the eleventh volume of Shugo Chara! (it came out in July) yet? I LOVED it. It was probably the best volume yet. I was pretty much dying of laughter from it._

_ Okay, anyways, I know some of you probably hate me now because I haven't updated for MONTHS, and I'm sorry about that. But I had to think about how I was going to end this fanfic (yes, I'm ending it this chapter, but I will be writing a sequel). In the end, I decided on not having Rima realize she was completely in love with Ikuto and to have Yaya ask Nagihiko out (just kidding! _

"So," Rima begins. "You said you like someone. Who is it?"

I swallow. "Um…I like…"

"Just spit it out!" Rhythm yells.

"Um…I like…uh…" What's wrong with me?

"Let me guess," Rima says, narrowing her eyes. "Amu."

"No," I shake my head. I had liked her back in fifth grade, but it was nothing compared to what I feel for Rima.

"Um, Utau?" she asks.

"No." Utau? Really? I find her stubborn and bossy.

"Yaya!" she declares.

"No…" Yaya's more of like a little sister to me.

Her eyes widen. "Then…it can't be…you like…there's only one girl left…"

Finally, she figured it out. I nod wearily. "Yes, it's true. "

"You like…" Her jaw drops. "You like Saaya Yamabuki?"

"WHAT?" I shout. "Of course not! Rima, I like you!"

But she probably wasn't paying attention to me since the roof just collapsed.

**RIMA'S DIARY**

"Come on, Rima!" he yells, grabbing my hand and pulling me out of the cabin. I cough since I inhaled some sawdust.

I could've sworn he said, "Rima, I like you!" But no. I probably heard wrong. Yeah. That's it.

"Okay, anyways, what the heck just happened?" he pants.

"I have no clue," I respond, looking at him.

And then I remember. That day, five months again, when Tadase had forced us all to go shopping with him for supplies. Yaya had dragged us to that love psychic…the one who'd predicted that…that I'd fall in love…

_With a boy with many secrets, and who'd I hate at first._

Oh my god.

"Nagihiko," I say quickly, "just tell me. Who do you like?"

He looks at me, his chocolate brown eyes meeting mine. "Rima, I think we both know the answer to that question," he says, reaching out to pull my face closer to his, our lips meeting.

_I cannot believe I am DONE. WITH. THIS. FANFIC. Finally, after five months._

_ Anyways, thank you all for all your support and encouragement, I couldn't have gotten this far without you guys. I will now proceed to thank specific people._

_ Thanks to:_

_ Temptful, for all your help. You are the best editor ever!_

_ addimison2, xxxUtauloverxxx, THE ZEEBRA KING, Rosey-Chan, and Blueberryfan10 for supporting this story. You guys are totally awesome and I wish you all the best._

_ Laughing-Queen for reminding me to update so many times. Thank you for keeping me on my toes and to stop me from being lazy._

_ PlushiexLover, you're the one who convinced me to stop procrastinating and write this last chapter._

_ As a Jester Fool and Joker, you saved this story from becoming a train wreck in the early days of this fanfic, back in May and June. _

_ Anyone who's read this entire thing to the end, you are fantastic. I love you all and I couldn't have done it without you (I know that sounds corny, but it's the truth)._

_ Anyways, my sequel will be called Nagihiko the Cheater and Rima the (something—haven't decided yet), it should be up soon, so I hope you will keep an eye out for it. If you guys have any ideas for it, I know the basic plot already, but I'm open to ideas too. I am sorry, but I will NOT be accepting any OCs for this story—it gets too complicated._

_ Thanks again, everyone! _


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